Here - American Geriatrics Society

P OSTER
A BSTRACTS
ther studies should target the evaluation of connective tissue markers
and pathological mechanisms linking low BMD and pelvic floor
symptoms.
B133
Biomarkers of Joint Metabolism and the Severity of Radiographic
Hand Osteoarthritis.
I. Perjar, 1 A. Shi, 1 Y. Golightly, 1 J. Renner, 1 A. Nelson, 1 V. Kraus, 2
J. Jordan. 1 1. Thurston Arthritis Research Center, UNC School of
Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC; 2. Duke University School of Medicine,
Durham, NC.
Supported By: American Federation for Aging Research, American
College of Rheumatology
Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a joint disorder traditionally
diagnosed using physical examination and radiographic imaging.
Focus has turned to the possibility of using biomarkers of joint metabolism
to assess the extent of joint damage and understand the biological
processes involved in OA. Most studies to date have examined
biomarkers in relation to knee OA, but few have investigated biomarker
patterns in hand OA (hOA) in diverse populations. We examine
the association of two biomarkers with hOA in a bi-racial population-based
study.
Methods: The sample consisted of 667 African American (AA)
and Caucasian adults (37% AA, 49% men, mean age 64 years, mean
BMI 30 kg/m 2 ) with available hOA and biomarker data from the
Johnston County Osteoarthritis Project, a prospective cohort of OA
in a rural county in North Carolina. Radiographs were obtained for
the DIP (distal interphalangeal), PIP (proximal interphalangeal),
MCP (metacarpophalangeal), and CMC (carpometacarpal) joints, as
well as the knees and hips. Radiographic OA in a joint was defined as
a Kellgren-Lawrence score of ≥2. We examined urine C-terminal
crosslinked telopeptide of type II collagen (CTX-II), a marker of collagen
breakdown, and serum hyaluronic acid (HA), a component of
cartilage and synovium, in relation to hOA defined by hand joint
group affected and total number of hand joints affected. Separate
multiple regression models were used to estimate the association between
each hOA outcome and biomarker, adjusting for race, gender,
age, BMI, and knee and hip OA status.
Results: The prevalence of radiographic OA in the sample was
26% for hand, 27% for hip, and 36% for knee. Looking at individual
joint groups, CTX-II was associated with OA at the DIPs (p