Gender, BMI, and Age-Related Variations in Lower Limb Alignment Parameters and CPAK Phenotypes in Chinese Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis.

Abstract

Objectives: Research on the distribution of and the variation in coronal plane alignment of the knee (CPAK) in the Chinese osteoarthritis population is limited. We aimed to establish the CPAK classification based on the characteristics of lower limb alignment in the Chinese osteoarthritis population. We also investigated variations in lower limb alignment parameters and CPAK phenotypes based on gender, body mass index (BMI), and age.

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on a total of 944 knees diagnosed with osteoarthritis in 479 patients from January 2017 to December 2023. A scatterplot was used to describe the distribution of the CPAK classification, and the differences in lower limb alignment parameters and the CPAK classification were compared across genders (male, female), ages (middle-aged/<65 years, elderly/≥65 years), and BMI categories (normal/<25 kg/m², overweight and obese/≥25 kg/m²) using the chi-squared test or Fisher's exact test.

Results: The average arithmetic hip-knee-ankle angle and joint line obliquity (JLO) were -3.03° ± 5.69° and 174.45° ± 4.29°, respectively. There was a higher prevalence of constitutional varus alignment in males and the overweight or obese group, while constitutional valgus alignment was more common in females and the normal BMI group (p < 0.05). Additionally, females had a greater apex distal JLO than males (p < 0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in lower limb alignment parameters among different age groups (p > 0.05). Although there were variations in alignment parameters across different genders and BMI categories in the knee osteoarthritis population, the predominant CPAK classifications were type I (38.03%), followed by type II (20.02%) and type IV (17.06%).

Conclusion: The most common CPAK types were I, II, and IV, and they were not influenced by gender, BMI, or age, indicating that the CPAK classification can reliably reflect constitutional alignment. A better understanding of native alignment variability can aid in providing patient-specific recommendations when considering orthopedic alignment strategies.