The relationship between early life and pain among individuals with knee osteoarthritis: findings from the Hertfordshire Cohort Study
The relationship between early life and pain among individuals with knee osteoarthritis: findings from the Hertfordshire Cohort Study
Studies have linked lower birth weight to development of radiographic osteoarthritis (OA). We examined early life factors in relation to subsequent knee pain among individuals with radiographic OA. 143 participants from the UK Hertfordshire Cohort study were included. Birth weight and weight at one year (WA1) were ascertained from health ledgers and used to derive conditional infant weight gain (CIWG). At baseline and follow-up, heath questionnaires (including knee pain) and knee radiographs were collected. Only those with radiographic knee OA at baseline were analysed. Logistic regression was used to examine early life factors in relation to pain. Pain at follow-up was common (men 41.3%, women 50%). Greater WA1 and greater CIWG were related to reduced risk of knee pain at follow-up after adjustment for sex and follow-up time. CIWG was protective against knee pain at follow-up, with this association attenuated after adjustment for follow-up osteophyte score. Validation in larger studies is required.
Aged, Birth Weight, Cohort Studies, Female, Humans, Infant, Male, Middle Aged, Osteoarthritis, Knee/epidemiology, Pain/epidemiology, Surveys and Questionnaires, United Kingdom/epidemiology, Weight Gain
e11
Kirkham-Wilson, Fiona
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Westbury, Leo
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Fuggle, Nicholas
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Laskou, Faidra
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Cooper, Cyrus
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Dennison, Elaine
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Kirkham-Wilson, Fiona
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Westbury, Leo
5ed45df3-3df7-4bf9-bbad-07b63cd4b281
Fuggle, Nicholas
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Laskou, Faidra
ea7e7a54-092d-4baf-8b18-e0d62c47b878
Cooper, Cyrus
e05f5612-b493-4273-9b71-9e0ce32bdad6
Dennison, Elaine
ee647287-edb4-4392-8361-e59fd505b1d1
Kirkham-Wilson, Fiona, Westbury, Leo, Fuggle, Nicholas, Laskou, Faidra, Cooper, Cyrus and Dennison, Elaine
(2026)
The relationship between early life and pain among individuals with knee osteoarthritis: findings from the Hertfordshire Cohort Study.
Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease, 17, , [e11].
(doi:10.1017/S2040174425100421).
Abstract
Studies have linked lower birth weight to development of radiographic osteoarthritis (OA). We examined early life factors in relation to subsequent knee pain among individuals with radiographic OA. 143 participants from the UK Hertfordshire Cohort study were included. Birth weight and weight at one year (WA1) were ascertained from health ledgers and used to derive conditional infant weight gain (CIWG). At baseline and follow-up, heath questionnaires (including knee pain) and knee radiographs were collected. Only those with radiographic knee OA at baseline were analysed. Logistic regression was used to examine early life factors in relation to pain. Pain at follow-up was common (men 41.3%, women 50%). Greater WA1 and greater CIWG were related to reduced risk of knee pain at follow-up after adjustment for sex and follow-up time. CIWG was protective against knee pain at follow-up, with this association attenuated after adjustment for follow-up osteophyte score. Validation in larger studies is required.
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the-relationship-between-early-life-and-pain-among-individuals-with-knee-osteoarthritis-findings-from-the-hertfordshire-cohort-study
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Accepted/In Press date: 10 November 2025
e-pub ahead of print date: 4 February 2026
Keywords:
Aged, Birth Weight, Cohort Studies, Female, Humans, Infant, Male, Middle Aged, Osteoarthritis, Knee/epidemiology, Pain/epidemiology, Surveys and Questionnaires, United Kingdom/epidemiology, Weight Gain
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 510733
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/510733
ISSN: 2040-1744
PURE UUID: 7f5e0e78-30b2-48c6-9b35-decd4826c3cf
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Date deposited: 20 Apr 2026 16:45
Last modified: 21 Apr 2026 02:06
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Author:
Fiona Kirkham-Wilson
Author:
Faidra Laskou
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