Decade-Long Study Reveals Strong Link Between Osteoarthritis and Chronic Kidney Disease, with Women at Higher Risk

"Women with osteoarthritis face a greater risk of developing chronic kidney disease compared to men. This highlights the need for more research into the connection between osteoarthritis and chronic kidney disease. Additionally, it is advised that patients with OA be particularly vigilant about monitoring their kidney health," the researchers report in BMC Nephrology.

The NHANES study, one of the largest and most detailed national health surveys conducted in the United States, included thousands of participants and provided valuable insights into the connections between various health conditions.

Chronic kidney disease and osteoarthritis are both common conditions affecting many individuals, and they share many overlapping risk factors. Kuiliang Gao, Orthopedics Department, The First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China, and colleagues aimed to assess the relation of CKD with OA.

This cohort study comprised 26,280 eligible participants aged ≥ 20 years with valid data on CKD and OA from the NHANES 2011–2020. The relationship between CKD and OA was analyzed using logistic regression, accounting for demographics, body mass index (BMI), socioeconomic factors, physical activity levels, smoking history, alcohol consumption, diabetes status, and hypertension.

The following were the key findings of the study:

· Among the participants of this study, 26.69% of OA patients had concurrent CKD, whereas this proportion was only 13.83% among non-OA patients.

· CKD was related to OA[OR:2.269] and the relation was of significance [OR:1.031] following adjustments.

· In subgroup analyses based on age, the relation between OA and CKD remained significant, and in the subgroup analyses based on gender, the previously mentioned relation between OA and CKD showed opposite directions in men [OR:0.869] and women [OR:1.178].

Based on a nationally representative survey, the study results showed a strong association between CKD and OA. The researchers found a significantly higher likelihood of CKD in patients with OA compared to those without, particularly among women.

"We suggest that OA be considered a predictor of CKD. Alongside other predisposing factors, OA should be taken into account in annual CKD screening protocols. Future research should further explore how various medications might influence the relationship between chronic kidney disease and osteoarthritis," the researchers conclude.

Reference

Gao, K., Zhang, C., Zhang, Y., Zhang, L., Xu, J., Xue, H., Jiang, L., & Zhang, J. (2024). Is chronic kidney disease associated with osteoarthritis? The United States national health and nutrition examination survey 2011–2020. BMC Nephrology, 25. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12882-024-03672-1