Osteoarthritis

Question 1

What is osteoarthritis?

Answer 1

Age-related synovial joint disease where destruction of cartilage exceeds repair

Question 2

What are the two types of osteoarthritis?

Answer 2

Primary or idiopathic (wear and tear)

Secondary to previous injury, RA, gout etc

Question 3

What are the risk factors for osteoporosis?

Answer 3

Being over 60, being female, being obese, taking part in high intensity load-bearing sport, previous joint injury

Question 4

Describe the symptoms of osteoporosis.

Answer 4

Pain on activity relieved by rest
Morning stiffness
Inactivity “gelling”

Question 5

Which joints are commonly affected?

Answer 5

Hands, cervical and lumbar spine, hip, knee, MTP joints

Question 6

What are a) Bouchard’s nodes and b) Heberden’s nodes?

Answer 6

Bony swellings at a) PIP and b) DIP joints

Question 7

What are the radiological signs of osteoarthritis?

Answer 7

Loss of joint space
Osteophytes
Subchondral cysts
Subchondral sclerosis

Question 8

How is osteoarthritis managed a) non drug b) drug and c) surgically?

Answer 8

a) education, encourage lifestyle changes, physio, OT
b) simple analgesia, possibly NSAIDs, pain modulators (tricyclicss), intra-articular steroids
c) arthroscopic washout, osteophyte removal, joint replacement