The proportion of hand and knee osteoarthritis and its associated risk factors among an urban diabetic population

Abstract

Introduction: Osteoarthritis (OA) is found to be a leading cause of disability in people with diabetes mellitus (DM). This study aimed to find the proportion of knee OA and hand OA and its risk determinants among people with DM. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 258 diabetic subjects attending the general outpatient department of a tertiary care hospital over 4 months. A predesigned case record form was used to collect details on sociodemographic profiles and various factors related to OA. The American College of Rheumatology criteria were used for the diagnosis of both knee and hand OA. Data analysis was done using the SPSS version 16. Chi-square/Fisher's exact test was used wherever applicable to find the association of various factors with OA. Results: The overall proportion of OA in diabetic subjects was 48.4%. The proportion of only hand OA was 25.2%, only knee OA was 14.3%, and both hand OA and knee OA were 8.9%. Age, female sex, duration of DM, irregularity in taking diabetic medications, hypertension, menopause, and body mass index were found to be significantly associated with both hand and knee OA. Physical inactivity and previous joint injury were found to be associated with knee OA. An inverse association with alcohol consumption was found. On logistic regression, we found irregularity in taking diabetic medication to be a significant risk factor for hand and knee OA. The duration of DM and taking alternate medications for DM were also found to be significant risk factors for hand OA. Prior knee injury is a significant risk factor for knee OA. Conclusion: There exists an association between OA and DM, and this suggests the need for early diagnosis, good disease management, and medication adherence and to implement preventive strategies so as to prevent further disabilities and improve quality of life. The following core competencies are addressed in this article: Patient care and procedural skills, Medical knowledge, Systems-based practice, Practice-based learning and improvement.