Osteoarthritis & Gout Flashcards
What does osteoarthritis mean?
“osteo” –> bone
“arthritis” –> inflammation of joint
What is the definition of osteoarthritis (OA)?
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a CHRONIC JOINT disease that leads to DESTRUCTION and IMMOBILITY of joints
- It occurs when the protective cartilage that cushions
the ends of bones wears down over time
- Other names: “osteoarthrosis” and “degenerative joint disease”
There are two types of OA:
- Primary (idiopathic)
- MOST common form of disease
- no predisposing factor is apparent
- Secondary
- pathologically is not distinguishable from primary - has a known underlying cause
What is the epidemiology of OA?
- OA is the MOST COMMON type of joint disease
- Joint distribution of OA in males and females <55 years is similar
- In patients >55 years:
- hip OA is more common in males
- OA of hands, thumb base, and knee are more
common in females - The prevalence and pattern of involved joints vary in different races (genetic? life-style?) - may play a role
Joint distribution of OA in males and females <55 years is ____
similar
In patients >55 years:
- hip OA is more common in MALES
- OA of hands, thumb base, and knee are more
common in FEMALES
What are the risk factors for OA?
- AGE
- female sex
- race
- genetic factors
- JOINT INJURIES (sport, accident)
- repeated stress (job, sport)
- OBESITY
- congenital developmental defects
- prior inflammatory joint disease (infectious/non-infectious)
- metabolic & endocrine disorders (diabetes, hemochromatosis - condition where body has overload of iron & can lead to bone damage overtime)
- Typically a combination of loading and susceptibility (local, systemic) risk factors is required to cause disease or its progression. (*look at slide 7)
Describe how obesity is a risk factor for OA?
2 reasons (directly & indirectly):
1. ↑stress to weight-bearing joints (hips, knees)
2. fat (cells) produces proteins that cause inflammation
____ is the most important risk factor for OA
AGE
What are the joints most often affected by OA?
- Neck (cervical segment of spine)
- Low back (lumbar segment of spine)
- Hips
- Base of thumbs
- Ends of fingers (*proximal & distal interphalangeal)
*middle in RA - Knees
- Base of big toe
OA usually affects the joints in a _____ manner
non-symmetric
*opp. in RA
OA most often affects…
hands, knees, hips, & SPINE
*spine not involved in RA
What does a healthy joint look like?
The ends of bones are encased in smooth cartilage that are protected by joint capsule lined with synovial membrane and fluid
What does Osteoarthritis look like?
The cartilage becomes worn away, spurs grow out from the edge of bone (causes stress to surrounding tissue), synovial fluid increases, and joint becomes stiff and sore
Describe OA of knees:
- more common in FEMALES than males
- may affect 1 or both knees
INCREASED subchondral bone DENSITY (NARROWING of joint SPACE)
*- i.e. more bone (whereas in RA there is decreased density)
Describe OA of hips:
- affects both males & females (more common in MALES)
- may affect 1 or both hips
Joint SPACE is NARROWED, subchondral sclerosis with scattered oval radiolucent cysts, peripheral osteophyte lipping
Describe OA of the hands:
- mainly affects FEMALES
- most often affects the BASE of thumb and joints at the end of fingers
Severe osteoarthritis & osteopenia of carpal joint & 1st carpometacarpal joint
(space has sign. narrowed)
Bouchard’s nodes
Heberden’s nodes
Bouchard’s nodes
formation of hard knobs at MIDDLE finger joints
Heberden’s nodes
formation of hard knobs at FARTHEST finger joints
OA of the neck and back (spondylosis):
- most common type of arthritis in spine
- can occur anywhere in spine but is more common in lower back and neck
- may cause no problem (not complaining about pain)
- pain and stiffness are most common symptoms
Describe OA of the foot:
- generally affects the joint at the base of big toe
Comparison of morphologic features of RA and OA
RA:
- damage to cartilage/bone –> abnormal bone growth
- pannus formation (irreversible)
- inflammation in joint & surrounding
OA:
- bony spurs
- subchondral cyst - loss of bone
- osteophyte - high density of bone
Pathologic changes of joint in OA include:
- surface of joint is damaged (cartilage)
- surrounding bone grows thicker
- leading to joint damage and immobility
The main pathologic feature of OA is progressive loss of articular cartilage but it also involves other tissues:
- subcondral bone
- synovium
- ligaments
- neuromuscular tissues
(damage to cartilage is major but also surrounding area)
The important articular changes in OA:
- EARLY STAGE:
- cartilage is thicker than normal (b/c tries to compensate)
- PROGRESSION OF DISEASE:
- joint surface is breached, vertical clefts (fibrillation) - cartilage is metabolically active
- chondrocytes replicate and form clusters
- LATE STAGE:
- cartilage becomes hypocellular (reduction in # of cells)
- BONE REMODELING AND HYPERTROPHY:
- appositional bone growth occurs in subchondrial region leading to bony “sclerosis” (irreversible & interfers in mobility)
Extracellular matrix of a normal cartilage is composed of:
- Proteoglycans (PGs)
- Collagen
- Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs)
Proteoglycans (PGs)
which are responsible for the compressive stiffness of the tissue and its ability to withstand load
Collagen
which provides tensile strength and resistance to shear