Our team found that greater progression of structural degenerative disease of the knee was observed in individuals with sustained synovitis (joint inflammation) compared to those without sustained synovitis, suggesting that sustained synovitis is associated with progressive osteoarthritis.
We also found that effusion-synovitis progression was slowed by weight loss and decrease in local subcutaneous fat. Hoffa-synovitis characterized by fluid in the infrapatellar fat pad increased at the same time, suggesting a decreasing fat pad rather than active synovitis. Decrease in local subcutaneous fat partially mediated the systemic effect of weight loss on synovitis.
Read more about these projects:
Impact of Sustained Synovitis on Knee Joint Structural Degeneration: 4-Year MRI Data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative. Ramezanpour S, Kanthawang T, Lynch J, McCulloch CE, Nevitt MC, Link TM, Joseph GB. J Magn Reson Imaging. 2023 Jan;57(1):153-164. doi: 10.1002/jmri.28223. Epub 2022 May 13.
Effect of weight loss on knee joint synovitis over 48 months and mediation by subcutaneous fat around the knee: data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative. Löffler MT, Ngarmsrikam C, Giesler P, Joseph GB, Akkaya Z, Lynch JA, Lane NE, Nevitt M, McCulloch CE, Link TM. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2024 Apr 17;25(1):300. doi: 10.1186/s12891-024-07397-y.