Hand Osteoarthritis and Subclinical Cardiovascular Disease in Middle-Aged Women Academic Article in Scopus uri icon

abstract

  • Objective: To determine subclinical cardiovascular disease (sCVD) in middle-aged women with clinically manifested hand osteoarthritis (HOA) and to improve the characterization of cardiovascular risk in this population. Design: We cross-sectionally evaluated the relationship between HOA and sCVD in 1,803 volunteers from the Mexican Teachers¿ Cohort. From 2012 to 2016, a subsample from Mexico City, the Northern state Nuevo León, and the Southern states Chiapas and Yucatán was invited for clinical evaluations, during which neurologists examined carotid arteries using ultrasound, and a standardized HOA questionnaire was also administered. HOA was defined as age ¿45 years, hand joint pain, and morning stiffness that lasted no longer than 30 minutes. sCVD was assessed using the intima-media thickness (IMT) and atherosclerotic plaques. Results: Among participants with a mean age of 51 years (±4), 18.4% met the criteria for HOA, and the prevalence of carotid atherosclerosis was 23.1%. After multivariable adjustment, women diagnosed with HOA had a 1.8% (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.3, 3.3) greater mean IMT than those without this joint disease. Similarly, women with HOA had 36% (95% CI 1.01, 1.84) higher odds of carotid atherosclerosis. Conclusions: HOA is associated with sCVD in middle-aged women. This relationship might be due to low-grade chronic inflammation; however, further research is required to clarify the underlying mechanisms. © 2025, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers.

publication date

  • January 1, 2025