Persons with PFOA symptoms more likely to show depressive symptoms, catastrophizing

Patellofemoral osteoarthritis (PFOA) symptoms are associated with higher odds of depressive symptoms, catastrophizing, and temporal summation (TS), regardless of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) PFOA status, reports a recent study. In addition, males with PFOA symptoms without MRI PFOA exhibit local hyperalgesia.

A total of 1,112 participants (mean age, 66.8±7.6 years; body mass index, 29.5±4.8 kg/m²) from the Multicenter Osteoarthritis Study were included in the analysis and were grouped based on the presence of PFOA symptoms (anterior knee pain and pain on stairs) and MRI PFOA (full-thickness cartilage lesion with bone marrow lesion): (1) patellofemoral (PF) symptoms with MRI PFOA; (2) PF symptoms without MRI PFOA; (3) MRI PFOA without PF symptoms; and (4) no PF symptoms or MRI PFOA (no PFOA).

Logistic (categorical variables) and linear regression (continuous variables) were used to assess the relation of PFOA classification to depressive symptoms, catastrophizing, TS, and pressure pain thresholds (PPT).

Participants with PF symptoms with or without MRI PFOA were more likely to experience depressive symptoms, catastrophizing, and patellar TS (odds ratio [OR] range, 1.5–2.01), while those with PF symptoms without MRI PFOA were more likely to have wrist TS (OR, 1.66), relative to those with no PFOA.

Males with PF symptoms without MRI PFOA had significantly lower pressure PPT at the patella than those with no PFOA and those with MRI PFOA only (no symptoms). Notably, no significant differences were seen at the wrist for males, or the patella or wrist for females.