To analyze the associations between body composition, notably low lean mass, and clinical symptoms [pain, physical function, quality of life (QoL)] in patients with symptomatic hip and/or knee OA.
Cross-sectional study using data from the 3-year follow-up visit of the Knee and Hip OsteoArthritis Long-term assessment (KHOALA) cohort. Skeletal muscle and fat mass were measured by dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Fat mass index (FMI) was defined as total fat mass/height
In total, 358 patients underwent DXA (67% women, mean [SD] age 63.4 [8.4] years, mean BMI 29.5 [5.6]kg/m
For patients with OA and normal BMI, QoL and function were more impaired for those with than without low lean mass. Conserving muscle mass in people with OA could have functional and antalgic benefits especially for those with normal BMI.