PROGNOSTIC ROLE OF SERUM ALBUMIN LEVEL IN RADIOLOGICAL PROGRESSION OF GONARTHROSIS: IS IT A BIOMARKER IN ITSELF? A BIOMARKER ASSOCIATED WITH SYSTEMIC INFLAMMATION?

• In this retrospective study, between 10.01.2017 and 10.01.2022, the data of the patients between the ages of 50-80, who applied to Ufuk University Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation clinic with the complaint of knee pain and met the clinical criteria of the American Rheumatology Association for gonarthrosis (knee osteoarthritis) (knee pain on many days of the previous month, crepitation with active joint movement, morning stiffness lasting ≤ 30 minutes, age ≥38 years, bone enlargement of the knee on examination),and whose knee radiography and blood tests were evaluated at admission were scanned. In order to compare the parameters to be included in the study, the data and blood tests of patients between the ages of 50-80 who applied to Ufuk University Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation clinic between 10.01.2017 and 10.01.2022 for reasons other than knee pain were scanned.

Exclusion Criteria:

• In the patient and control groups, patients who were younger than 50 years of age, older than 80 years of age, had acute or chronic infection, malignancy, rheumatic disease or systemic diseases that could change the blood test parameters to be evaluated, and patients who were missing one or more of the blood test parameters planned to be evaluated among the data obtained were excluded from the study. In addition, in the patient group, patients who had neurogenic or internal organ problems that could cause pain referred to the knees, who were not required to have a knee X-ray when applying to the outpatient clinic, and who had a history of trauma to the knee area, invasive procedure or surgical intervention within the 6 months before admission to the outpatient clinic, were excluded from the study. In the control group, patients who complained of knee pain in addition to their complaints at admission were excluded from the study.