A prospective study on prevalence and risk factors among knee osteoarthritis patients in a tertiary care hospital

Abstract

Osteoarthritis (OA) is defined as progressive destruction of articular cartilage which most commonly affects the joints in the knees, hands, feet, and spine and is relatively common in shoulder and hip joints. Over 40% of the Indian population in the age group of 70 years or above suffers from OA. Our study analyzed the prevalence of knee osteoarthritis in women and men aged more than 40 years and the contributing risk factors. It was a prospective observational study which was conducted in a tertiary care hospital.Preliminary data were recorded on a predesigned data collection form. It was observed that there was an association of age, sex, body mass index with knee OA and females more prone to OA than males. Occupational risk factors contributed (25.9 %) of the study participants.. History of trauma (6.7%) and fracture (2.8%) were found to be significantly associated with osteoarthritis. Occupational risk factors, smoking, family history were more prevalent in our study than history of trauma and fractures.