Point of no return in knee OA

Can cartilage in knee osteoarthritis (OA) get better once the disease has affected the knee? This study in very obese individuals with varying degrees of knee OA tested cartilage quality by delayed gadolinium-enhanced MRI before and after a significant weight loss of more than 10% (>10 kg). After this, knee trouble and pain decreased, however, only cartilage in joints with very light degrees of OA, KL-1, improved, while not at later stages, KL-2. 

Stine Hangaard, Henrik Gudbergsen, Marie Skougaard, Henning Bliddal, Janus D Nybing, Carl Johan Tiderius and Mikael Boesen

 

Acta Radiologica, 2018, Vol. 59(3)336-340