Associations of health parameters at 16 years of age with structural knee MRI findings at 33 years of age in a general population-based birth cohort.

Objective: To evaluate the potential associations of clinical health parameters at 16 years and knee magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings at 33 years in a random subpopulation of the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986. Method: Subjects with knee MRI data at 33 years ( Results: Higher body mass, waist and hip circumference at 16 years and increased body mass between time points were associated with MRI findings such as bone marrow lesions, cartilage lesions and osteophytes. An increase in systolic blood pressure (ΔSBP) and fasting glucose (ΔfP-glucose) between time points were associated with MRI findings, mediated through higher body mass index (BMI). The associations of ΔfP-glucose were limited to osteophytes and mediated but not dependent on BMI. Conclusion: Higher body mass, waist and hip circumference at 16 years were most frequently associated with several imaging findings and mediated most other associations. Moreover, impaired glucose metabolism could be independently linked to increased osteophyte formation. Although causality is not demonstrated, higher body mass and circumferential measurements with their related co-morbidities seem to significantly contribute to pathogenesis of osteoarthritis already from adolescence.