Correlation Between Osteophytes Size And Limb Alignment Of Weight-bearing Position In The Knees Of Osteoarthritis Patients

Objective To assess the correlation between osteophytes size and limb alignment of weight-bearing position in the knees of osteoarthritis patients.Methods A total of 40 knees in 40 patients were obtained from individuals undergoing total knee arthroplasty due to severe primary osteoarthritis. The limb alignment of weight-bearing position was measured using Body X Film Measuring—System(BXFMS). A special scale method called the "spur index" was devised to determine a corrected measurement of the osteophyte size in this study. The intra-observer and inter-observer repeatability of the "spur index" were tested by Pearson correlation. The correlation between limb alignment and osteophytes size was evaluated by Pearson correlation.Results The average angle of lower limb alignment was 12.53±5.62°in the weight-bearing position of 40 patients. The comparesion of the measured values between the intra-observer and inter-observer showed a good repeatability(r= 1,P<0.001). There was a positive correlation between the weight-bearing limb alignment and the osteophyte size of the medial femoral condyle(r=0.530,P<0.001). The osteophyte size of the medial tibial plateau was positively correlated with the weight-bearing limb alignment(r= 0.618,P<0.001). But no correlation was found between the weight-bearing limb alignment and the osteophyte size of the lateral femoral condyle(r=-0.008,P=0.961), as well as between the weight-bearing limb alignment and the osteophyte size of the lateral tibial plateau(r=0.244,P=0.129).Conclusion The result of this study indicates that there was a positive correlation between the weight-bearing limb alignment and the osteophyte size of the medial femoral condyle, as well as between the weight-bearing limb alignment and the osteophyte size of the medial tibial plateau. It indicates that the osteophyte size of the medial knee is related to the weight-bearing limb alignment. With the weight-bearing limb alignment increasing, the osteophyte size of the medial knee is bigger.