Radiological Study on Fibular Morphology in Knee Osteoarthritis

Abstract Background To explore the relationship between fibular morphology indicators and knee osteoarthritis (KOA) and the role of fibular morphology in the occurrence and development of KOA. Methods This retrospective study enrolled patients with KOA who sought treatment from Hospital A between January 2021 and October 2023. In total, 271 patients (447 knees), comprising 157 males and 124 females, with an average age of 60.11 ± 0.59 years (range from 18 to 86 years), were enrolled according to specific inclusion and exclusion criteria. Measurements of hip-knee-ankle (HKA),medial proximal tibial angle (MPTA),tital fibular curvature(TFC),proximal fibular curvature (PFC), distal fibular curvature (DFC),fibula tibia distance (FTD) and fibula tibia area (FTA) were taken. Intraobserver and interobserver reliabilities of all imaging measurements were assessed using intraclass correlation analysis, and the relationship between each indicator and KOA was analyzed using logistic regression. Results Patients with KOA exhibited significantly larger HKA and smaller MPTA than did those without KOA. The between-group differences of TFC,PTC,DFC,FTD and FTA were nonsignificant. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that HKA, MPTA, DFCand FTD was statistically significant. K–L grade was significantly positively correlated with HKA and significantly inversely correlated with MPTA. No significant difference in TFC,PTC,DFC,FTD and FTA was observed between patients with and without KOA. Ordinal logistic regression revealed that HKA,MPTA,DFC and FTD was statistically significant. MPTA、PFC and DFC was significantly greater in patients with valgus KOA than in patients with varus KOA. However, the between-group differences of TFC,FTD and FTA was nonsignificant. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that HKA and FTD were statistically significant. Conclusion Fibular morphology indicator FTD is a risk factor for the occurrence of KOA, the severity of KOA, and varus KOA, and DFC serves as a protective factor against the occurrence and severity of KOA.