Association between metabolic associated fatty liver disease and osteoarthritis using data from the Korean national health and nutrition examination survey (KNHANES)

Osteoarthritis of the knee (knee OA) is on the rise due to the aging population and increasing obesity. In addition to mechanical stress attributed to weight and age, osteoarthritis is associated with obesity and metabolic dysregulation. Here, a cross-sectional study targeting retrospectively registered 17,476 adults aged 50 years or older who were enrolled in the National Health and Nutrition Survey (2010–2011) was performed to analyze the association between the newly named metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) and knee OA. Fatty liver index (FLI) ≥ 60 confirmed the presence of MAFLD, and FLI < 30 indicated the absence of MAFLD. Knee OA was diagnosed according to the Kellgren–Lawrence scale based on knee radiography results. A complex sample logistic regression analysis was performed. Statistically significant factors were adjusted to estimate probability ratios, and 95% confidence intervals were used to investigate the association between knee OA and MAFLD. The probability of knee OA was 1.479 times higher in the presence of MAFLD than that in the normal group. The results indicate that MAFLD is significantly associated with knee OA, suggesting that these two disorders should be managed simultaneously.