Biomarker profiling in osteoarthritis: Hematological and inflammatory insights from a cross-sectional study

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic degenerative joint condition that causes discomfort and alters the structure of bone joints. This research seeks to establish connections between changes in inflammatory and hematological markers in clinically diagnosed OA. Aims and Objectives: The study aims to determine if variations occur in hematological parameters (mean platelet volume [MPV], platelet [PLT], platelet distribution width, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio [NLR], red cell distribution width [RDW], platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio [PLR], Plateletcrit, white blood cell [WBC], red blood cell [RBC], RDW-to-platelet ratio [RPR]) and inflammatory response indicators (erythrocyte sedimentation rate [ESR] and C-reactive protein [CRP]) across different stages of clinically confirmed OA. Materials and Methods: The investigation involved 300 patients with clinically diagnosed OA at the pathology and orthopedics departments of Integral Institute of Medical Science and Research, Lucknow. Results: Significant alterations were seen in the NLR and PLR values of OA patients. RBC and MPV measurements were considerably lower in individuals with OA. No substantial changes were noted in WBC, RDW, PLT count, and RPR levels. In OA patients, MPV and RBC showed negative correlations with ESR and CRP. Conclusion: Significant differences in inflammatory and hematological markers were observed between OA grades. With additional research, these factors could potentially be utilized for grading and diagnosing OA.