Osteoarthritis Flashcards
What is the common type of arthritis?
Osteoarthritis
How many people are affected by Osteoarthritis in the UK?
8.75 million people in the UK over the age of 45
That is equivalent to 1/3 of women and 1/4 of men aged 45 or over
Which joints tend to susceptible to osteoarthritic damage?
Although any joint can be affected including weight bearing and non-weight bearing joints, the knee is the most common.
Define osteoarthritis.
Osteoarthritis can be defined as a clinical syndrome of joint pain, varying degrees of functional limitation and reduced quality of life.
What type of damage to the joint is Osteoarthritis in comparison to Rheumatoid Arthritis?
Osteoarthritis there is a loss of articular cartilage whereas in Rheumatoid Arthritis there is initially inflammation of the synovium in the synovium membrane. In Osteoarthritis there is an attempt to try and repair the cartilage but this then results in damage to the periarticular bone.
Does the extent of damage to the joint relate to the pain experienced by a patient?
The pain felt does not always relate to the extent of damage. For example, a patient could have very minimal damage on investigation but be in significant pain.
Describe some of the co-morbidities associated with Osteoporosis and affects on lifestyle.
For patients aged 65+, there is a 17% (in women) and 15% (in men) risk in Cardiovascular hospitalisation with Osteoarthritis.
20% of people with Osteoarthritis have anxiety or depression
3/4 of patients are in constant pain and 1 in 8 describe the pain as unbearable
1/3 will retire early
Describe the pathophysiology behind Osteoarthritis.
It is caused when the rate of damage to a cartilage exceeds the rate of repair which results in degeneration of the bone and cartilage.
When the cartilage is damage this leads to the infiltration of pro-inflammatory mediators.
As some of the joint becomes damaged this puts more strain on the rest of the joint, becomes increasingly difficult for the bone to support itself
Bone becomes exposed
There is cartilaginous growth at the edge of the joint, this can become calcified resulting in the formation of osteophytes.
What happens once the smooth bone becomes exposed?
Once exposed the smooth bone and loose bodies associated with it leads to narrowing of the joint space and eventually lead to fusion of the joints. This can result in synovitis (inflammation of the synovium).
Outline the two types of Osteoarthritis and their aetiology?
Primary - idiopathic (cause is unknown)
Secondary - caused by congenital abnormality, previous injury or previous inflammation and other conditions
State the five risk factors associated with Osteoarthritis development.
Age (45 years+)
Female
Obesity
Occupation
Genetics
Explain how is age is associated risk factor with Osteoarthritis.
With age there is a reduction of muscle strength in addition to growth hormone.
This is a natural process in the body but also change to a more sedentary lifestyle in this population (retirement)
What is the link between females and OA that means there is an increased risk?
There is an association between OA and drop in estrogen levels which also links the age of OA onset (when estrogen levels are dropping, around the age of menopause).
Does HRT prevent OA?
HRT has been shown to delay but not prevent OA onset.
What is the exact increased risk of developing OA if you have a BMI above 25?
Increased risk of 2.5 to 4.6 times more likely
