RESEARCH - Dietary fatty acid intake affects the risk of developing BMLs in healthy middle-aged adults without clinical knee OA

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Arthritis Research & Therapy 2009, 11:R63doi:10.1186/ar2688

Published: 8 May 2009

Research article

Dietary fatty acid intake affects the risk of developing bone marrow

lesions in healthy middle-aged adults without clinical knee

osteoarthritis: a prospective cohort study

Yuanyuan Wang , Miranda L Davies-Tuck , Anita E Wluka , Forbes

, Dallas R English , Graham G Giles , O'Sullivan and Flavia M

Cicuttini

Abstract (provisional)

Introduction

Fatty acids have been implicated in osteoarthritis (OA), yet the

mechanism by which fatty acids affect knee structure and consequently

the risk of knee OA has not been fully elucidated. Higher intakes of

fatty acids have been shown to be associated with the risk of bone

marrow lesions (BMLs) in a healthy population. The aim of this study

was to examine the association between fatty acid consumption and the

incidence of BMLs in healthy, middle-aged adults without clinical knee

OA.

Methods

297 middle-aged adults without clinical knee OA underwent magnetic

resonance imaging (MRI) of their dominant knee at baseline. BMLs were

assessed. Of the 251 participants with no BMLs in their knee at

baseline, 230 underwent MRI of the same knee approximately 2 years

later. Intakes of fatty acids were estimated from a food frequency

questionnaire.

Results

Increased consumption of saturated fatty acids was associated with an

increased incidence of BMLs over 2 years after adjusting for energy

intake, age, gender, and body mass index (odds ratio of 2.56 for each

standard deviation increase in dietary intake, 95% confidence interval

1.03-6.37, P=0.04). Intake of monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fatty

acids was not significantly associated with the incidence of BMLs.

Conclusions

Increased fatty acid consumption may increase the risk of developing

BMLs. As subchondral bone is important in maintaining joint integrity

and the development of OA, this study suggests that dietary

modification of fatty acid intake may be one strategy in the

prevention of knee OA that warrants further investigation.

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http://arthritis-research.com/content/pdf/ar2688.pdf

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