OBJECTIVE

To examine the longitudinal relationship between bone mineral density (BMD) and the incidence and progression of knee, hip, and hand osteoarthritis (OA), and to examine the relationship between prevalent vertebral and nonvertebral fractures and the incidence and progression of OA in elderly men and women in the Rotterdam Study.

METHODS

Age- and sex-specific quartiles of baseline femoral neck BMD data were constructed for 4,154 subjects. Radiographs were scored for incidence and progression of knee and hip OA, and for incidence of hand OA. Prevalent vertebral fractures were scored using the McCloskey/Kanis method, and prevalent nonvertebral fractures were reported by baseline interview.

RESULTS

Subjects in the highest quartile of femoral neck BMD had an increased risk of incident radiographic knee OA (ROA) (odds ratio [OR] 1.58 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.14-2.18]), and an increased risk of incident hip ROA (OR 1.57 [95% CI 1.06-2.32]), compared to the lowest quartile. No significant relationship was found between high femoral neck BMD and progression of knee or hip ROA or the incidence of hand ROA. Prevalent vertebral and nonvertebral fractures were not related to an increase in the incidence or progression of knee or hip ROA. However, vertebral fractures were associated with incident hand ROA (OR 1.74 [95% CI 1.02-2.98]).

CONCLUSION

Results from the present study confirm earlier findings and thus provide strong evidence that high femoral neck BMD is a prognostic risk factor for the development of knee and hip ROA. Vertebral fractures were found to be a risk factor for incident hand ROA.