The association between chronic venous disease and knee osteoarthritis.

OBJECTIVE: Chronic venous disease (CVD) and knee osteoarthritis (KOA) are two common diseases in the elderly. Both share common risk factors, such as age, sex, and obesity, and are believed to be associated with inflammatory conditions and venous stasis. However, studies of the association between CVD and KOA are limited, especially in the elderly. To investigate the association between CVD and KOA and their effects on pain and functional status in the elderly at the Rheumatology Clinic of University Medical Center Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 222 elderly patients (aged ≥60 years) at the Rheumatology Clinic of University Medical Center HCMC from December 2019 to June 2020, including 167 with and 55 without KOA. Patient data were collected for both groups, including demographics, symptoms, clinical signs, and diagnostic tests for KOA and CVD, including knee radiographs and duplex scanning of the lower extremity veins. RESULTS: CVD was a common comorbidity among elderly patients with KOA (73.65% vs. 58.18%; p = 0.030). CVD symptoms did not differ significantly between patients with and without KOA. After adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, and some comorbid conditions, the differences in CVD incidence between the groups remained significant (odds ratio = 2.46, 95% confidence interval: 1.20-5.06; p = 0.014). Visual Analog Scale and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index pain scores were higher in elderly patients with KOA and CVD. CONCLUSIONS: CVD is common in elderly patients with KOA. While age, sex, and weight are risk factors for both conditions, there is an independent association between them. Patients comorbid with KOA and CVD have more pain and limited functional status.

Association between asymptomatic hyperuricemia and knee osteoarthritis in older outpatients.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between asymptomatic hyperuricemia and knee osteoarthritis in older outpatients in Vietnam. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 257 older outpatients (195 in the knee osteoarthritis group and 62 in the non-knee osteoarthritis group) aged ≥60 years (mean age 73.31 ± 7.96 years) attending rheumatologic and geriatric clinics from November 2020 to May 2021. Data were collected for both groups, including demographics, symptoms and signs of knee osteoarthritis, serum uric acid levels, and knee radiographs. The association between asymptomatic hyperuricemia and knee osteoarthritis was assessed using logistic regression. RESULTS: The mean serum uric acid level among patients with knee osteoarthritis was higher than that among patients without knee osteoarthritis (6.3 ± 1.74 mg/dl vs. 5.71 ± 1.45 mg/dl, p = 0.017). Hyperuricemia was more common among older outpatients with knee osteoarthritis than among those without knee osteoarthritis (39% vs. 19%, p = 0.005). After adjusting for age, sex, body mass index (BMI), and other comorbidities, the association between asymptomatic hyperuricemia and knee osteoarthritis remained significant (odds ratio [OR] 2.61, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.22-5.60, p = 0.013). Subgroup analyses were performed according to sex and BMI groups. Significant associations between asymptomatic hyperuricemia and knee osteoarthritis were observed among women (p = 0.017) and among individuals who were underweight-normal-weight according to BMI (p = 0.009). CONCLUSIONS: Asymptomatic hyperuricemia is a common comorbidity among older outpatients with knee osteoarthritis. An independent association was identified between asymptomatic hyperuricemia and knee osteoarthritis among older Vietnamese outpatients, although sex and BMI may be confounding factors that impact this association.