The world’s most common joint disease, osteoarthritis (OA) affects more than 10 percent of American adults, nearly 80 percent of people past age 55, and about three times as many women as men.

A study of Medicare patients with osteoarthritis provides additional evidence that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin reduce the risk of colorectal cancer.

The factors associated with poor short-term recovery from knee surgery appear to be different than those found to mar long-term outcome from the same surgery, according to new research released today at the 2007 Annual Meeting of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine at the Telus Convention Center (July 12-15).

Osteoarthritis is the most common joint disorder worldwide, yet the cause of osteoarthritis of the hip is still unknown. One condition that may play a role is femoro-acetabular impingement (FAI), in which the femoral head of the thighbone causes damage by rubbing abnormally on the hip socket (acetabulum). FAI caused by an abnormality in the hip socket can lead to osteoarthritis, but it is not known if FAI that is not caused by a defect can also lead to the condition.

Patients with osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) face different treatment options and determining which ones to try can be confusing.

Taking x-rays of the semi-flexed knee is the most accurate way of evaluating structural damage in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) according to results presented today at EULAR 2007, the Annual European Congress of Rheumatology in Barcelona, Spain.

In just two years, patients with hand osteoarthritis (OA) experienced a significant increase in pain and functional limitations, according to new data presented at EULAR 2007, the Annual European Congress of Rheumatology in Barcelona, Spain. Statistically significant radiological progression was also detected in 20% of subjects.

Can non-destructive MRI provide a measurement of cartilage function? The delayed Gadolinium Enhanced MRI of Cartilage (dGEMRIC) index is highly correlated to mechanical stiffness, and, although not as good as a direct mechanical measurement, the index can be used as a predictive measure of stiffness.

Doctors who treat the painful condition of osteoarthritis in patients with increased cardiovascular risk need to be cautious. A team lead by researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, are the first to study outcomes in high cardiovascular risk patients with osteoarthritis.

The common painkiller, ibuprofen, may boost the likelihood of heart problems in high risk patients who have osteoarthritis, suggests research published ahead of print in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.

Researchers at The University of Manchester have discovered that arthritis pain, unlike that induced as part of an experiment, is processed in the parts of the brain concerned with emotions and fear.