Evaluation of the Carotid Artery Thickness in Older Women with Osteoarthritis

Background and Objective: Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis and joint disease and a major cause of disability among middle-aged and elderly people. The process of the progressive destruction of articular cartilage, causes pain and dysfunction of the joints involved. However, the main cause of this disease is not known. In several epidemiological studies from other countries, the problem was reported to be associated with cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to find the relationship between carotid artery atherosclerosis in elderly women and osteoarthritis of the joints. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was done on ۲۵۶ middle-aged and elderly women referred to the Vali-e-Asr Hospital in Zanjan. The patients were divided randomly into two groups of test and control following medical examination. The rate and severity of atherosclerosis and the presence or absence of atherosclerotic plaques were evaluated using Doppler Sono. The data were analyzed using the SPSS software. The mean values were subjected to student t-test and chi-square methods. Results: Of the total of ۲۵۶ women who participated (mean age ۵۶.۷۹ years) in the study, ۳۰.۸% of women with osteoarthritis and ۱۷.۵% of the normal groups had carotid artery atherosclerotic plaque (P=۰.۰۰۹ OR=۲.۱). Even after normalization for age, osteoarthritis was still considered a risk factor for the carotid plaque. The mean carotid artery intima-media thickness was ۰.۹۷۵ mm in the test group compared with ۰.۹۱۰ mm in the control group (P<۰.۰۰۰۱). Conclusion: Our findings are consistent with the outcome of some previous studies reporting a significant relationship between osteoarthritis and atherosclerotic disease. A proper drug treatment to reduce the severity of atherosclerosis in order to prevent the progress of osteoarthritis is recommended.