Clinical and radiological association between serum adiponectin and leptin levels and knee osteoarthritis

With each passing day evidence indicating osteoarthritis, the most prevalent type of adult arthritis, as a systemic affliction and having metabolic syndrome-like effects is increasing. Adipokines are thought to play a role in the pathophysiology of osteoarthritis (OA) by mediating the secretion of variable inflammatory molecules and research about their use as biochemical markers for monitoring the disease is ongoing. In the light of this information, we have investigated the relationship between serum adiponectin and leptin levels and the clinical and radiological severity of knee OA in our study. A total of 76 patients, fulfilling the diagnostic criteria of the ACR knee OA, with at least 40 years of age were enrolled into our study after giving informed consents. Demographic datas, body mass indexes (BMI), serum adiponectin and leptin levels were obtained for each patient. Radiological severity of the OA was assesed by Kellgren-Lawrence staging system; and clinical severity was assesed by visual analog scale (VAS), Western Ontaria and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC) and Short Form-36 (SF-36) scores. We found no significant corelation between serum leptin and adipokine levels between clinical and radiological severity of knee OA. But corelations were found between serum leptin level and BMI, and between serum adiponectin level and age as shown in other studies. With our study data and datas from other variable studies it could be concluded that serum adiponectin and leptin levels would not be effective markers for monitoring and predicting the outcomes of OA; and it was once again stressed that we need more effective and easy-to-use laboratory markers for this common disease.