Publication:

Nutritional status as an independent determinant of structural disease severity and functional disability in female knee osteoarthritis: a comparative cross-sectional study integrating Kellgren-Lawrence grading, WOMAC index and the mini nutritional assessment

Background Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a leading cause of chronic pain and disability worldwide, particularly among women, with emerging evidence suggesting that nutritional status may act as a modifiable determinant of disease severity and functional impairment. Objective was to evaluate nutritional status as an independent determinant of structural severity and functional disability in female patients with knee osteoarthritis.

Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 108 female patients aged 45-70 years with knee OA, graded using the Kellgren-Lawrence system. Nutritional status was assessed using the mini nutritional assessment, and functional disability was evaluated using the WOMAC index. Multivariate linear regression analysis was performed to identify independent predictors of functional disability.

Results Poor nutritional status was significantly associated with higher WOMAC scores and greater radiological severity. A moderate inverse correlation was observed between nutritional status and functional disability (r=-0.52, p<0.001). Multivariate regression analysis confirmed nutritional status as an independent predictor of functional disability (β=-0.48, p<0.001).

Conclusions Nutritional status is an independent and clinically significant determinant of both structural severity and functional disability in female knee osteoarthritis. Nutritional optimization may represent a novel, modifiable therapeutic target in the comprehensive management of knee osteoarthritis.