Hyaline cartilage calcification of the first metatarsophalangeal joint is associated with osteoarthritis but independent of age and BMI

BACKGROUND: Hyaline cartilage calcification (CC) is associated with osteoarthritis (OA) in hip and knee joints. The first metatarsophalangeal joint (1(st)MTPJ) is frequently affected by OA, but it is unclear if CC occurs in the 1(st)MTPJ. The aim of the present study was to analyze the prevalence of CC of the 1(st)MTPJ in the general population by high-resolution digital contact radiography (DCR) and to determine its association with histological OA severity, age and body mass index (BMI). METHODS: 168 metatarsal heads of 84 donors (n = 47 male, n = 37 female; mean age 62.73 years, SD ±18.8, range 20–93) were analyzed by DCR for the presence of CC. Histological OA grade (hOA) by OARSI was analyzed in the central load-bearing zone of the first metatarsal head (1(st) MH). Structural equation modeling (SEM) was performed to analyze the interrelationship between CC, hOA, age and BMI. RESULTS: The prevalence of CC of 1(st)MH was 48.8 % (41/84) (95 %-CI [37.7 %, 60.0 %]), independent of the affected side (p = 0.42), gender (p = 0.41) and BMI (p = 0.51). The mean amount of CC of one MH correlated significantly with that of the contralateral side (r(s) = 0.4, 95 %-CI [0.26, 0.52], p < 0.001). The mean amount of CC (in % of total cartilage area) of the MH correlated significantly with the severity of hOA (r(s) = 0.51, 95 %-CI [0.32, 0.65], p < 0.001). SEM revealed significant associations between CC and hOA (r = 0.74, p < 0.001) and between hOA and age (β = 0.62, p = 0.001), but not between CC and age (p = 0.15). There was no significant influence of BMI on either CC (p = 0.37) or hOA (p = 0.16). CONCLUSION: The observation that CC of the 1(st)MH is significantly associated with the severity of OA but independent of age and BMI, suggests an intimate relationship between CC and the pathogenesis of OA, the exact nature of which will have to be explored by future studies. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12891-016-1324-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.