The Value of the Monocyte to High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Ratio in Assessing the Severity of Knee Osteoarthritis: A Retrospective Single Center Cohort Study

Abstract

Background

Inflammatory responses and metabolic abnormalities play essential roles in the pathophysiology of osteoarthritis (OA). Our study aimed to evaluate the association between monocyte-to-high density lipoprotein-cholesterol ratio (MHR) and OA and compared it with other systemic inflammatory markers.

Methods

This study recruited 323 OA cases and age- and sex-matched 283 control participants during the same period. Demographic, clinical, and imaging data and laboratory indicators were obtained from participants’ records. Systemic inflammatory markers were calculated for both cohorts. The diagnostic effectiveness of each index for distinguishing patients with OA was analyzed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Spearman’s method and ordered logistic regression were used to analyze the association between each indicator and Kellgren and Lawrence (KL) grade.

Results

MHR was significantly higher (0.38±0.18 vs 0.25±0.07, p < 0.0001) in OA patients than healthy controls. MHR had the largest area under the ROC curve for predicting OA. Analysis of ordered logistic regression indicated that MHR was a risk factor for OA radiological severity. Spearman correlation analysis indicated that MHR significantly correlates with the KL grade. Moreover, MHR was significantly higher in early stage patients than in healthy controls.

Conclusion

These results suggest that an elevated MHR could reflect knee OA severity and might be a useful marker for diagnosis and monitoring of OA.

Keywords:

• osteoarthritis
• disease severity
• monocyte to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio
• inflammation
• biomarker

Data Sharing Statement

All data supporting this study will be provided by the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Ethics Statement

This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Jiujiang No.1 People’s Hospital in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki (JJSDYRMYY-YXLL-2021-313). Informed consent was waived due to this study’s retrospective nature and the anonymized processing of patient data.

Author Contributions

All authors made a significant contribution to the work reported, whether that is in the conception, study design, execution, acquisition of data, analysis, and interpretation, or in all these areas; took part in drafting, revising or critically reviewing the article; gave final approval of the version to be published; have agreed on the journal to which the article has been submitted; and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Disclosure

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant number 81860166) and the Science and Technology Program of the Jiangxi Provincial Health and Health Commission (grant number SKJP220200272).