Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Obesity poses a major challenge to public health, not only due to its cardiovascular and metabolic complications but also because of its impact on the musculoskeletal system. The aim of this study is to analyze the frequency of various osteoarticular complications in obese individuals.

Patients and Methods: This is a retrospective study conducted on 502 obese patients aged 13 to 80 years, hospitalized in the endocrinology department of CHU Ibn Rochd in Casablanca. Osteoarticular manifestations and their respective locations were examined. Each patient underwent anthropometric measurements, as well as biological and radiological evaluations based on indications. The statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS software, version 25.

Results: The average age of our patients was 51.7 years (13-80 years), with a marked female predominance at 83.5%. The mean body mass index (BMI) was 35.2 kg/m², and the average abdominal circumference was 113.8 cm. Among the patients, 38.5.% had osteoarticular complications, Their average BMI was 38.2 kg/m², with a prevalence of 43.7% for morbid obesity and 34.6% for severe obesity. Various joint issues reported included knee pain observed in 58.2% of cases, knee pain associated with lower back pain in 28.4% of cases, and isolated lower back pain in 13.4%. Osteoarthritis was present in 21.3% of patients, while bone densitometry revealed osteopenia in 17.8% of cases and osteoporosis in 15.8% of cases. Vitamin D deficiency was identified in 18.2% of patients.

Discussion and conclusion: Several studies have demonstrated an increased association between obesity and the risk of osteoarthritis in the knee, hip, and finger joints, although the impact is less pronounced for the hip. This correlation between obesity and arthritic pathology is frequently observed, especially in the elderly, which aligns with the results of our study. Obesity exacerbates functional limitations, leading to a significant deterioration in the quality of life due to painful symptoms. It becomes imperative to prevent obesity and/or intervene early for optimal management.