Patients with Higher Pulse Wave Velocity Are More Likely to Develop a More Severe Form of Knee Osteoarthritis: Implications for Cardiovascular Risk

Figures

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  Figure 1. Recruitment and allocation to the assessment group. Abbreviations: KOA—knee osteoarthritis; PWV—pulse wave velocity; US—ultrasound.

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  Figure 2. Comparison of classical cardiovascular risk factors in patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) of different radiological (Kellgren–Lawrence, KL) grades and controls showing (A) age; (B) systematic coronary risk assessment (SCORE2 for ages 40–69 years and SCORE2-OP for elderly; (C) body mass index (BMI); and (D) waist-to-hip ratio (WHR). Number of patients with KL grade 1, n = 46; KL grade 2, n = 57; KL grade 3, n = 74, KL grade 4, n = 31 and controls (KL grade 0), n = 15. Statistical significance: * p ≤ 0.05, ** p ≤ 0.01, *** p ≤ 0.001 (Bonferroni-adjusted p values obtained by one-way ANOVA and Tukey’s post hoc test). Data are presented as mean (·) and ±0.95 confidence interval (CI).

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  Figure 3. Comparison of non-classical cardiovascular risk factors in patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) of different radiological grades and controls Box plots show (A) glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c); (B) serum uric acid concentration; (C) estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR); and (D) erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). Number of patients with Kellgren–Lawrence (KL) grade 1, n = 46; KL grade 2, n = 57; KL grade 3, n = 74, KL grade 4, n = 31; controls (KL grade 0) n = 15. Statistical significance: * p ≤0.05, ** p ≤ 0.01, *** p ≤ 0.001 (Bonferroni-adjusted p values obtained by one-way ANOVA and Tukey’s post hoc test). Data are presented as mean (·) and ± 0.95 confidence interval (CI).

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  Figure 4. Correlation of Kellgren–Lawrence grade (1–4) of knee osteoarthritis (KOA) and cardiovascular risk factors Linear graphs show (A) age; (B) systematic coronary risk assessment (SCORE2 for ages 40–69 years and SCORE2-OP for elderly; (C) body mass index (BMI); (D) waist circumference; (E) hip circumference; (F) waist-to-hip ratio (WHR); (G) fasting plasma glucose (FPG); (H) glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c); (I) total cholesterol; (J) low-density lipoprotein (LDL); (K) high-density lipoprotein (HDL); (L) triglycerides; (M) non—HDL; (N) oxidised low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL); (O) systolic blood pressure (BP); (P) serum uric acid concentration; (R) creatinine; (S) estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR); (T) high sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and (U) erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). Statistical significance (p) and correlation coefficient (r) are shown above dot plots.

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  Figure 5. Correlation of pulse wave velocity (PWV) and cardiovascular risk factors in patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) Linear graphs show (A) age; (B) systematic coronary risk assessment (SCORE2 for ages 40–69 years and SCORE2-OP for elderly); (C) body mass index (BMI); (D) waist circumference; (E) hip circumference; (F) waist-to-hip ratio (WHR); (G) fasting plasma glucose (FPG); (H) glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c); (I) total cholesterol; (J) low-density lipoprotein (LDL); (K) high-density lipoprotein (HDL); (L) triglycerides; (M) non-HDL; (N) oxidised low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL); (O) systolic blood pressure (BP); (P) serum uric acid concentration; (R) creatinine; (S) estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR); (T) high sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP); and (U) erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). Statistical significance (p) and correlation coefficient (r) are shown above dot plots.

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  Figure 6. Correlation of Kellgren–Lawrence grade (1–4) (A–F), pulse wave velocity (PWV) (G–K) and VAS for pain (L–P) with functional capacity parameters in patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA). Abbreviations: IPAQ—The International Physical Activity Questionnaire; 6MWT—6 min walk test. Statistical significance (p) and correlation coefficient (r) are shown above dot plots.

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  Figure 7. Difference in pulse wave velocity (PWV) during knee osteoarthritis (KOA) progression. Pulse wave velocity (PWV) between patients with mild form (Kellgren–Lawrence grades 1-2, n 115) and severe form (Kellgren–Lawrence grades 3-4, n 108) of KOA (A), and the area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC) for PWV at the optimal cut-off value of > 8.4 m/s to distinguish severe form of KOA with respect to patients with mild form of KOA. Level of statistical significance is calculated using (A) the Mann–Whitney U test * p = 0.001 and (B) the receiver operating characteristic analysis as indicated in the plot.