The Ability of Systemic Biochemical Markers to Reflect Presence, Incidence, and Progression of Early-stage Radiographic Knee and Hip Osteoarthritis: Data from CHECK

Objective: To relate systemic biochemical markers of joint metabolism to presence, incidence, and progression of early-stage radiographic knee and/or hip osteoarthritis (OA).

Method: The cartilage markers uCTX-II, sCOMP, sPIIANP, and sCS846, bone markers uCTX-I, uNTX-I, sPINP, and sOC, and synovial markers sHA and sPIIINP were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay or radioactive immunoassay in baseline samples of CHECK (Cohort Hip and Cohort Knee), a cohort study of early-stage symptomatic knee and/or hip OA. Knee and hip radiographs were obtained at baseline and 5-year follow-up. Presence of OA at baseline was defined as Kellgren and Lawrence (K&L) = 1 (maximum observed). Incidence of OA was defined as K&L = 0 at baseline and K&L ≥ 1 at 5-year follow-up. Progression of OA was defined as K&L = 1 at baseline and K&L ≥ 2 at 5-year follow-up.

Results: Data were available for 801 subjects at baseline and for 723 subjects at both baseline and 5-year follow-up. Multiple cartilage and synovial markers showed positive associations with presence and progression of knee and hip OA and with incidence of hip OA, except for negative associations of uCTX-II and sCOMP with incidence of knee OA. uCTX-II and sCOMP showed multiple interactions with other biomarkers in their associations with knee and hip OA. Bone markers were positively associated with presence of radiographic knee OA, but negatively associated with progression of radiographic hip OA.

Conclusion: Especially metabolism in cartilage and synovial matrix appear to be of relevance in knee and hip OA. The role of bone metabolism appears to differ between knee and hip OA.