The traditional diabetes complications do not include musculoskeletal diseases, although their frequency has often been reported to be higher in diabetic subjects.

The purpose of this study is to explore the association between diabetes and osteoarthritis (OA) in an Italian elderly population.

Analyses were based on an observational cohort study, the Progetto Veneto Anziani (PRO.V.A.), including subjects aged 65 and older, living both in the community and nursing homes.

The data of 1,572 participants with hand, knee and hip X-rays were analyzed. Hand radiographs were scored for the presence of OA in the distal and proximal interphalangeal joints (IP) and in the first carpometacarpal joint (CMC) using a standard atlas; for knee and hip the Kellgren-Lawrence grading scale was used.

P. Siviero1. S. Zambon1.2. S. Zanoni1.2. G. Crepaldi11 CNR. Institute of Neuroscience. Padova section. Italy2 Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences. University of Padova. ItalyP. Siviero1, S. Zambon1,2, S. Zanoni1,2, G. Crepaldi1

1CNR, Institute of Neuroscience, Padova Section, Italy2Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Padova, Italy

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OSTEOARTHRITIS AND DIABETES

Prevalence rates of osteoarthritis in diabetic subjects

0102030405060708090

100

%

No diabetes Diabetes All

IP OA by Diabetes Status(p=0.005)

No OA OA

0102030405060708090

100

%

No diabetes Diabetes All

CMC OA by Diabetes Status(p=0.898)

No OA OA

0102030405060708090

100

%

No diabetes Diabetes All

Hip OA by Diabetes Status(p=0.012)

No OA OA

0102030405060708090

100

%

No diabetes Diabetes All

Knee OA by Diabetes Status(p=0.067)

No OA OA

Associations and relationships between diabetes and IP OA

No IP OA IP OA

(n=476) (n=269)

Age (years) 72.5±6.4 75.7±6.5

Male sex 47.16 35.01

BMI (kg/m2) 27.5±4.7 28.2±4.4

Alcohol use 80.44 73.71

Level of education

elementary school not completed 39.9 50.55

elementary school completed 43.44 38.62

vocational/general secondary 8.36 5.85

college/university 8.3 4.98

Marital status

not married 7.04 6.07

married 63.25 47.02

widowed/divorced/separated 29.7 46.9

Poor Cognitive functioning 25.74 35.59

Significant associations

  Odds Ratio 95% CI p-value

Age ≥ 72 years 2.5 1.77-3.45 <0.0001

Female sex 1.6 1.12-2.16 0.0091

No diabetes

BMI ≤ 27.3 kg/m2 1

BMI >27.3 kg/m2 1.9 1.37-2.69 0.0002

Diabetes

BMI >27.3 kg/m2 1

BMI ≤ 27.3 kg/m2 0.3 0.09-0.83 0.023

BMI ≤ 27.3 kg/m2

No diabetes 1

Diabetes 6.0 2.38-15.11 0.0001

BMI > 27.3 kg/m2

No diabetes 1

Diabetes 0.8 0.40-1.75 0.6346

Variables in the model: age (median value). sex, BMI (median value), diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, alcohol use, level of education, marital status, cognitive functioning

Logistic regression modelCharacteristics of the sample

Associations and relationships between diabetes and hip OA

Logistic regression modelCharacteristics of the sample

 No Hip OA Hip OA

(n=973) (n=268)

Age (years) 72.9±6.

475.6±6.

5

BMI (kg/m2)28.1±4.

728.1±5.

1

Alcohol use 81.75 74.88

Physical activity 80.72 70.38

Physical activity low 23.5 32.49

medium 33.47 29.46

high 43.04 38.05

Sports activities 52.56 42.04

Poor Cognitive functioning 28.9 35.36

Odds Ratio 95% CI p-value

Age ≥ 76 years 1,4 1,04-1,96 0,0294

Men sex 1,4 1,03-1,90 0,0314

Alcohol use 0,6 0,42-0,85 0,0044

Physical activity 0,6 0,42-0,85 0,0047

Variables in the model: age (3rd quartile), sex, diabetes, alcohol use, physical activity, smoking status, monthly income, cognitive functioning, depression symptoms

Significant associations