# Association between gastrointestinal diseases and osteoarthritis risk based on data from NHANES 2011–2018

**Authors:** Mingzhu Lu, Yangkun Ding

PMC · DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0330064 · PLOS One · 2025-08-13

## TL;DR

This study finds that gastrointestinal diseases are linked to a higher risk of developing osteoarthritis, based on data from a U.S. health survey.

## Contribution

The study establishes a novel association between gastrointestinal diseases and osteoarthritis risk using a large national health database.

## Key findings

- Gastrointestinal diseases significantly increase the risk of osteoarthritis, even after adjusting for covariates.
- Risk stratification and ROC curve analysis confirmed the strong association between gastrointestinal diseases and OA.
- The odds ratio for OA in those with gastrointestinal diseases was 2.01, with a statistically significant p-value of 0.0069.

## Abstract

Osteoarthritis (OA) and gastrointestinal diseases are two significant public health problems. However, the association between the two is unclear. This study aimed to investigate the biological relationship between gastrointestinal diseases and OA using data derived from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database. A total of 8,833 participants registered in the NHANES between 2011 and 2018 were enrolled; 5,044 participants were included in the study after excluding ineligible samples. Three models were constructed to investigate the correlation between gastrointestinal diseases and OA. Risk stratification analysis was conducted, and a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was employed. Among 5,044 participants, even after stratification, gastrointestinal diseases significantly affected OA occurrence; this effect persisted despite adjusting for all covariates in model 3 (odds ratio = 2.01; 95% confidence interval = 1.23–3.3, p = 0.0069) and was confirmed by risk-stratification analysis. The ROC curve and the smooth curve showed that gastrointestinal diseases increased OA risk. Gastrointestinal diseases are significant risk factors for OA, which indicates a potential theoretical basis for OA prevention.

## Linked entities

- **Diseases:** osteoarthritis (MONDO:0005178)

## Full-text entities

- **Genes:** ALB (albumin) [NCBI Gene 213] {aka FDAHT, HSA, PRO0883, PRO0903, PRO1341}, INS (insulin) [NCBI Gene 3630] {aka IDDM, IDDM1, IDDM2, ILPR, IRDN, MODY10}
- **Diseases:** cancer (MESH:D009369), diabetes (MESH:D003920), osteoporosis (MESH:D010024), metabolic syndrome (MESH:D024821), gastroesophageal reflux disease (MESH:D005764), swelling (MESH:D004487), arthritis (MESH:D001168), trauma (MESH:D014947), insulin resistance (MESH:D007333), obesity (MESH:D009765), joint pain (MESH:D018771), gastric or intestinal illness (MESH:D013274), immune disorders (MESH:D007154), of the cartilage (MESH:D002357), knee OA (MESH:D020370), hypertension (MESH:D006973), constipation (MESH:D003248), metabolic disorders (MESH:D008659), Gastrointestinal diseases (MESH:D005767), gastrointestinal symptoms (MESH:D012817), diarrhea (MESH:D003967), peptic ulcer disease (MESH:D010437), stomach-intestinal illness (MESH:D013272), nausea (MESH:D009325), rheumatoid arthritis (MESH:D001172), joint disability (MESH:D007592), OA (MESH:D010003), joint dysplasia (MESH:C566090), smoking (MESH:D015208), vomiting (MESH:D014839), musculoskeletal disorders (MESH:D009140), IBD (MESH:D015212), predicted disease (MESH:D004194), abdominal pain (MESH:D015746), Chronic inflammation (MESH:D007249), spondyloarthritis (MESH:D013167)
- **Chemicals:** creatinine (MESH:D003404), TG (MESH:D014280), UA (MESH:D014527), short-chain fatty acids (MESH:D005232), Alcohol (MESH:D000438), calcium (MESH:D002118), phosphorus (MESH:D010758), Lipopolysaccharide (MESH:D008070), urea nitrogen (MESH:C530477)
- **Species:** Bacteria Latreille et al. 1825 (Bacteria stick insect, genus) [taxon 629395], Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606]

## Full text

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## Figures

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## References

28 references — full list in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12349171/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12349171