Osteoarthritis in morbidly obese children and adolescents

Main objective of this study was to investigate the association of pain and early cartilage lesions in morbidly obese children and adolescents. 39 morbid obese subjects and18 controls with normal weight were included in the study.

MRI examinations were performed in all subjects, examining the condition of the cartilage surface and the meniscus and their subjective health was assessed by means of four well-known knee scores. Significant greater cartilage lesions were reported in the obese groups compared to the normal group. Knee effusion was greatest in the obese group with constant pain.

The most important finding of the present study was the detection of marked knee cartilage lesions in morbidly obese children and adolescents who had all the worst clinically relevant scores (VAS, IKDC, Tegner, and KOOS). The number and extent of the lesions seemed to be dependent on patients’ reported pain. > From: Widhalm et al., Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc (2014) (Epub ahead of print). All rights reserved to Springer-Verlag.

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