Presence Of Radiographic Erosive Hand Osteoarthritis And Longitudinal Changes In Thigh Muscle Quality: Data From Osteoarthritis Initiative Data

Purpose: Erosive hand osteoarthritis (EOA) is defined as the inflammatory subtype of hand osteoarthritis (OA) characterized by central erosions. The presence of EOA is associated with increased levels of systemic inflammatory biomarkers. Chronic systemic inflammation can contribute to thigh muscle degeneration that may have relevance for knee OA progression. No prior study has investigated the association between the presence of radiographic EOA and longitudinal thigh muscle degeneration. The main aim of this study was to determine the association between the presence of radiographic EOA and longitudinal thigh muscle quality.