association between osteoarthritis of the knee joint and chronic venous insufficiency of the legs

ABSTRACT

The possible association between osteoarthritis of the knee joint and chronic venous insufficiency of the legs needs to be investigated because some risk factors are common to both. To evaluate the association between knee osteoarthritis and chronic venous insufficiency of the legs. Case controlled prospective randomized study, non-blind. Setting: Outpatient clinic, Ibn Sinna Teaching Hospital, Iraq. Thirty patients with knee osteoarthritis and thirty control cases with no knee symptoms were evaluated clinically for chronic venous insufficiency. Knee osteoarthritis was significantly associated with leg edema [P value 0.002], varicose veins [P value 0.011] and abnormal leg veins [whether varicose veins alone or spider veins or both], [P values 0.02]. The presence of chronic venous insufficiency may contribute to the severity of osteoarthritis. An association does exist between knee osteoarthritis and chronic venous insufficiency of the legs. Further studies are needed to investigate the association including the possibility of pathogenic contribution