Multiparity as a Potential Cause of the Articular Cartilage Degradation in the Knee Joint; Sonographic Evaluation in the Postmenopausal Women

Abstract

Background: Pain in knee joint is prime cause of disability particularly among postmenopausal women. Ultrasound is a non-invasive and safe imaging modality for the evaluation of knee joint pathologies. Objective: To prove multiparity as a potential cause of femoral cartilage thinning inside knee joint causing pain in postmenopausal women. Methodology: Two hundred knee of 100 postmenopausal women of various parity were conveniently selected. Patients with all other risk factors of the knee joint pain which acts as effect modifying factors were excluded. Femoral articular cartilage was measured at the lateral, central and medial aspect of the knee joint and their average was calculated. Results: 51.12 ±4.46 years was the mean age of patients (ranging from 46 to 60 years). A strong negative relation was found between the parity of the patient and the femoral articular cartilage thickness at the lateral, central and medial aspect of the knee joint of all the patients with a p-value less than 0.1. Significant variation was observed in the femoral articular cartilage thickness in various parties. Conclusion: The femoral articular cartilage decreases in size significantly with an increase in the number of deliveries (parity). So, multiparity is one of the potential causes of femoral cartilage degradation in knees joint.