Clinical and Radiographic Features of Knee Osteoarthritis of Elderly Patients

Background: Knee osteoarthritis is a common pathology, characterized by a prevalence that increases with age. Absence of correlation between anatomy and the clinical features makes medical care complex, particularly in a geriatric setting where study is wanting.

Methods: Cross-sectional study including patients who were monitored for 6 months for knee osteoarthritis. A comparaison was made between of those various characteristics between patients of over 65 years of age (group 1; n=56) and those under 65 (group 2; n=56).

Results: The age bracket of group1 was 71±5 years with a feminine predominance. Gonalgia had been evolving for 8.4±9.2 years, bilateral in 82.6% and mechanical in 94.6%. The patients experienced an average pain scale of 65.2 mm. An axial deviation of lower limbs was observed in 60.7% and a limited mobility of the knees in 48.2%. The mean value of Lequesne index was 11.02±4.8. The walking distance was not limited in 37.5%. Comparative study showed that elderly patients had a smaller waist size (p=0.003), a longer course of gonalgia (p<0.0001), a widespread site of pain (0.004), and a more frequent limitation of walking distance (p<0.0001) as well as more axial deviation (p<0.0001) and joint mobility limitation (p=0.005). Gonalgia manifesting during rest was more frequent in elderly patients (p=0.001). Impaired functioning (p=0.001) and stage of radiographic damage (p=0.02) were more advanced in elderly patients.

Conclusion: This study shows that knee osteoarthritis is more severe in the elderly patients in its various and anatomical aspects as well as its impact on normal functions.