Intramuscular Fat Infiltration and Knee Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Physiother Res IntSep 6, 2026
Clinical ResearchOrthopedic SurgeryPhysical Medicine & RehabilitationOpen access

Lili Yu, Cong Chen, Guancong Zhang et al.

✦ AI-curated · Sources linked

In 30 seconds

This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the association between intramuscular fat infiltration (IMFI) and knee osteoarthritis (KOA) across 17 studies. The analysis revealed that IMFI was significantly higher in KOA patients compared to controls, with a pooled standardized mean difference of 0.63. Anterior thigh muscles showed the strongest association, indicating potential clinical relevance in assessing KOA.

Key findings

  • IMFI was significantly higher in KOA patients than controls (SMD = 0.63, 95% CI 0.41-0.85).
  • The anterior thigh muscles demonstrated the strongest pooled effect (SMD = 0.96, 95% CI 0.66-1.25).
  • CT imaging showed a significant association with IMFI (SMD = 0.59, 95% CI 0.28-0.90).
  • Elevated IMFI was linked to reduced muscle strength and increased knee replacement risk.

Why it matters

Understanding the relationship between IMFI and KOA can aid in identifying patients at higher risk for disease progression and complications, potentially guiding early interventions and management strategies.

Source

PubMed · PMID 42649566Free full text on PubMed Central

Published in Physiother Res Int. This summary was written by xxcode from the publication's abstract and metadata. It is not peer reviewed and is not a substitute for the original article. For clinical decisions, review the original publication.

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