5 Interesting Facts of Osteoarthritis
- 1. Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common articular disorder.
- 2. Obesity is a modifiable risk factor most closely associated with OA.
- 3. The joints most likely to be involved are the distal interphalangeal (DIP) joints, proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joints, first carpometacarpal (CMC) joints, hips, knees, first metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint, cervical spine, and lumbosacral spine.
- 4. Typical radiologic findings include nonuniform joint space narrowing, osteophytes, and sclerosis.
- 5. There are two indications for joint replacement surgery—pain unresponsive to medical therapy and loss of joint function.
OA is a slowly progressive degenerative disease that preferentially affects the hand joints, spine, and weight-bearing joints of the lower extremity. It is the leading cause of disability in the elderly. It is classically considered noninflammatory, although imaging studies such as a 2017 study by Wallace and colleagues, demonstrate localized inflammation as contributory to disease activity.
