osteoarthritis

Question 1

What is osteoarthritis?

Answer 1

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the result of mechanical and biological events that destabilise the normal process of degradation and synthesis of articular cartilage chondrocytes, extracellular matrix, and subchondral bone.

Question 2

What are the risk factors of osteoarthritis?

Answer 2

> Age over 50
> Female
> Obesity
> Genetic factors
> Physical/ manual occupation
> Knee malalignment

Question 3

What are the signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis?

Answer 3

> Pain
> Functional difficulties
> Knee, hip, hand, spine involvement
> Bony deformities
> Limited range of motion
> Malalignment
> Tenderness 
> crepitus

Question 4

What is the epidemiology of osteoarthritis?

Answer 4

About 8.5 million people in the UK have OA, and this figure is likely to increase due to an ageing population.

Question 5

What investigations would you do for osteoarthritis?

Answer 5

> X ray of joint- osteophytes, joint space narrowing, subchondral sclerosis and cysts
CRP- normal
ESR- normal