Erosive hand osteoarthritis tied to articular structural damage and its progression: Study 

It was a longitudinal cohort study of 3365 individuals from the Osteoarthritis Initiative with complete hand radiographs from baseline and 48-month visits. The researchers classified the individuals as having EHOA if they had Kellgren-Lawrence (KL) grade≥2 in at least one interphalangeal joint on two different fingers and central erosion in at least one joint.

Key findings of the study were:

• Among 3365 individuals, the researchers noted that 86 (2.6%) individuals developed EHOA during the 48 months.
• They found that older age (relative risk [RR] per standard deviation = 0.76), female sex (RR = 1.73), greater OA severity (sum of KL grade 13.9 vs 5.3,) and less cortical width (1.38 vs 1.52 mm) increases the risk of EHOA.
• After 48 months of follow up, they noted that individuals who developed EHOA were characterized by greater progressions of radiographic osteoarthritis. This includes joint space narrowing, KL grade progression (RRs = 1.35-1.9) and loss of cortical thickness (RR = 1.23), all adjusted for age, sex, race and BMI.

The authors concluded, "These findings present EHOA as a disorder of advanced age and female sex, strongly associated with severity of articular structural damage and its progression. Individuals who develop EHOA have thinner bones prior to EHOA development and as it progresses, suggesting EHOA as a disorder of skeletal frailty."

For further information:

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/art.41757