DIABETES IS ASSOCIATED WITH SLOW WALKING SPEED IN PEOPLE WITH KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS

Aqeel Alenazi1,2, Mohammed Alshehri1,3, Shaima Alothman1, Bader Alqahtani2, Saad Bindawas4, Patricia Kluding1 1Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas; 2Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physical Therapy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Alkharj, Saudi Arabia; 3Department of Rehabilitation Science, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia; 4Department of Rehabilitation Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia PURPOSE: Walking speed is considered as sixth vital sign and an important predictor for disability and mortality in older people. Previous research has shown that a decline in walking speed is associated with diabetes (DM) or osteoarthritis (OA) as well as poor health outcomes in older adults. Having \u3c 0.1 m/s walking speed may interfere with daily living and basic mobility needs such as crossing a street. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the impact of diabetes on walking speed in people with or at high risk of knee OA. METHODS: A cross sectional analyses from Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI) at 96 months follow up was performed with data from 2122 individuals aged between 53-87 years with knee pain over 30 days. Participants were grouped into knee OA+diabetes or knee OA only. Walking speed was measured using averaged speed of two 20 meter walk test. Diabetes and knee pain over 30 days were assessed using self-reported questionnaire. Walking speed was categorized into slow walking speed. RESULTS: A total of 1848 participants had knee OA only and 274 had knee OA+diabetes. A total of 1877 participants had walking speed ≥1.0 m/s, and 11.1% of these had diabetes. A total of 245 individuals had walking speed \u3c 1.0 m/s, and 26.5% of these had diabetes. Logistic regression analyses showed that diabetes was significantly associated with slow walking speed (p=0.001) after controlling for age, sex, race, body mass index and depression symptoms. CONCLUSION: This study found that diabetes was associated with slow walking speed in people with or at high risk of knee OA. People with diabetes and knee OA are about 2 times more likely to have slow walking speed