Unilateral-dominant reduction in muscle volume in female knee osteoarthritis patients: computed tomography-based analysis of bilateral sides

Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a well-known musculoskeletal disorder and a key cause of disability, particularly in elderly individuals [1]. A number of biomechanical pathways likely play major roles in KOA. For example, excessive mechanical stress arising from either a reduction in load-bearing area on the surface of a joint or applying a heavy load can halt the repair of damaged joint tissue [2]. Muscle weakness is a key measure of the extent of disability in OA patients [3]. A number of reports have demonstrated that a reduction in lean mass in the lower limbs is common in OA patients [4], and this reduction is correlated with a heightened risk of falls [5‐7]. Therefore, accurate evaluation of the muscles of KOA patients is important to better understand the relationship between the muscle and OA pathology.

Previous studies have proposed that translational studies that fill the gap between basic and clinical research using three-dimensional imaging data provide a basis for creating anatomical models of the human anatomy and may allow orthopedic surgeons to determine ideal practices before orthopedic surgery [8‐10]. Computed tomography (CT) is used for various applications, including the evaluation of orthopedic tumors [11] and fractures [12], and preoperative planning of orthopedic surgery [13]. CT is also regularly used to quantify muscle volume (MV) at regions around the knee and hip [14‐16]. In particular, the cross-sectional area (CSA) of the affected region determined from CT images is measured to evaluate MV [14‐16]. However, these measurements vary widely and are dependent on the location at which the section is taken. In addition, muscle mass varies greatly from person to person due to differences in height or body mass index (BMI), making it difficult to conduct comparisons and accurately elucidate the effect of KOA on muscle mass. A recent study showed that muscle volume in unilateral hip OA patients could be accurately evaluated by measuring muscle volume using CT-based analysis and comparing bilateral muscles in the same patient [17].

Here, we evaluated muscle volume using CT-based analysis and conducted comparisons between bilateral muscles in KOA patients.

The study protocol received ethics approval from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) for Clinical Research and Treatment of Kitasato University (IRB approval number: B20-133).

According to power analysis conducted with α = 0.05 and power = 0.80 using G*POWER3, 34, and 17 samples were needed to obtain a statistically significant difference in muscle strength (MS) and MV, respectively, between the operated and contralateral sides. Therefore, we obtained CT images from 35 female patients with radiographic KOA the day prior to total knee replacement surgery. Four domains of the Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score, namely, pain on walking (domain I), pain on ascending or descending stairs (domain II), range of motion (domain III), and joint effusion (domain IV) [18], were used to evaluate symptom severity (Table 1).

Previous studies have shown that KOA patients exhibit a reduction in muscle mass in the lower limbs compared to age-matched healthy controls [6, 19, 20]. However, a cohort study reported a weak association between bone mass, measured based on bioimpedance analysis (BIA) using a body composition analyzer, on muscle strength in KOA patients [19]. Consistent with previous reports, we found no correlation between MS and MV. However, bilateral MV analysis using CT images taken from KOA subjects showed a unilateral decrease in MV on the side with severe OA and that this reduction was strongly correlated with a reduction in MS. CT-based analysis of bilateral sides may therefore be a useful tool for evaluating muscle weakness in KOA patients due to the exclusion of parameters such as age and BMI, which affect muscle mass and strength (Table 4).

There is a logical biomechanical explanation for the association between leg muscle mass and knee symptoms. Periarticular muscles, which keep injured and degenerated knees structurally stable and supported, with greater mass relative to total body mass provide better stability, resulting in less pain. Several studies examining changes to the muscles in the lower limbs have shown that low impact exercises like swimming and cycling are beneficial for reducing pain in patients with KOA [21, 22]. Therefore, low impact therapeutic approaches may be important for relieving pain in KOA patients.

Several reports have suggested that unilateral mechanical unloading is a cause of muscle reduction [23‐25]. Studies in humans have reported that, as a result of unilateral lower limb unloading, there is a 7% decrease in muscle CSA after 21 days [24] and a 16% decrease after 35 days [23, 25]. In the present study, MV was reduced by approximately 6% on the side with severe OA, and this reduction was associated with pain on walking. Underuse of the muscle due to pain may therefore explain the unilateral reduction in MV in KOA patients.

This study has several limitations (Table 4). First, the analyzed muscle comprises several different muscles, including the rectus femoris, biceps femoris, and adductor longus. Assessment of individual muscles is necessary to obtain a practical understanding of functional disability in patients with KOA. Second, our study was a cross-sectional study. Longitudinal studies are needed to clarify the relationship between OA development and muscle reduction. Finally, patients with bilateral KOA were included among the participants in this study.

We evaluated MV using bilateral CT images of the legs of patients with severe knee pain. MV was reduced on the side with severe OA and this reduction was correlated with a decrease in MS and pain. Bilateral CT image analysis may be useful for evaluating the link between OA and muscle pathology due to the ability to exclude parameters such as age and BMI, which affect muscle mass and strength. Further investigation using a longitudinal study may clarify the relationship between OA development and muscle reduction.