PREVALENCE OF JOINT PAIN AND OSTEOARTHRITIS IN OBESE BRAZILIAN POPULATION 

Background:

High body mass index, as well as maintaining this condition for a long period of time, are important risk factors for the development of osteoarthritis.

Aim:

To determine joint pain and osteoarthritis prevalence in patients referred to bariatric surgery.

Methods:

Morbidly obese patients referred to bariatric surgery responded to the visual analogue pain scale (VAS) and the WOMAC questionnaire. X-rays of the hips and knees were evaluated. The primary endpoints were self-reported joint pain and the diagnosis of osteoarthritis by clinical and radiological criteria of the American College of Rheumatology.

Results:

141 patients were interviewed (85.1% women) with a mean age of 40 years. The mean body mass index was 46. The lumbar spine and knee joint were the most commonly reported as painful (77.9% and 73.2% respectively). Prevalence of knee osteoarthritis was 63.1% and hip osteoarthritis was 40.8%. Age, mean VAS and WOMAC scores were higher in the osteoarthritic individuals.

Conclusion:

There is prevalence of 90.1% of pain symptoms in morbidly obese patients referred to bariatric surgery. The prevalence of knee osteoarthritis was 63.1% and hip osteoarthritis was 40.8% in this sample.