Relationship between insulin-like growth factor-1 and radiographic disease in patients with primary osteoarthritis: a systematic review

Observational data showed no association between serum IGF-1 and occurrence of radiographic OA (moderate level of evidence), and a positive relationship between IGF-1 gene polymorphisms and radiographic OA (moderate level of evidence); however the confounding effect of BMI was insufficiently addressed. Future well-designed prospective studies should further elaborate the role of the complex GH/IGF-1 system in primary OA.