Nakano M, Nakamura Y, Urano T, et al. - Circulating homocysteine and C677T variants in methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) are linked to the prevalence rate and progression of spinal osteoarthritis (OA), respectively. Such factors could be used as interventional targets to prevent the development of OA and improve clinical outcomes.

• In total, 1,306 Japanese postmenopausal outpatients partaking in the Nagano Cohort Study were followed for a 9.7-year mean period.

• Multivariate regression analysis showed a significant link between homocysteine and spinal OA prevalence.

• According to Kaplan–Meier curves, the T allele in the MTHFR C677T polymorphism had a gene dosage effect on the accelerated progression of spinal OA severity.

• Cox regression analysis validated a statistically significant independent risk of the T allele for spinal OA progression.

• The adjusted hazard ratios for the CT/TT and TT genotypes were 1.68 and 1.67, respectively.