Osteoarthritis

Abstract

Osteoarthritis (OA) is considered the most common disorder of the musculoskeletal system and the greatest cause of disability all over the world. As a consequence to the population aging, the prevalence of OA has increased. Data obtained from the Framingham study place OA at the same level of both cardiovascular diseases and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease as the major cause of chronic physical disability. Because the prevalence of OA increases with aging, coexistence with other chronic diseases is common, further increasing the impact on the quality of life of those patients. The major comorbidities of OA patients include arterial hypertension, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and dyslipidemia. Metabolic syndrome is defined as the association of hypertension, central obesity, glucose intolerance, and hyperlipidemia. On another front, as OA is the major cause of pain in older adult patients, a population with a very high prevalence of depression, the coexistence of both diseases is frequent. Although OA is the most common disease causing physical disability, the full impact of its combination with other chronic diseases, i.e., comorbidities, on the patients has not been thoroughly addressed. This chapter will discuss osteoarthritis epidemiology, manifestations, associated comorbidities, as well as management.