What is osteoarthropathy (OA)
Definition of OA: An intrinsic non-inflammatory disease of the movable joints characterized by degeneration of articular cartilage and formation of new bone on the joint surface and edges.
A heterogeneous group of diseases associated with impaired articular cartilage integrity, destruction of subchondral bone and formation of bone fragments at the joint edges – American College of Rheumatology (1986) Li Qiang, Department of Orthopedics, Beijing Friendship Hospital OA can be characterized as (1) functional degeneration, (2) cartilage damage, and (3) new bone formation around the joint surface. (Figure 1)
Figure 1 Schematic diagram of normal knee joint and osteoarthropathy and x-ray performance
Dangers of osteoarthrosis (OA)
It is the most common joint disease in the world, and the prevalence increases rapidly with age. most people over 65 years of age (78%) are affected 80% of people over 75 years of age. Disability rates are high. Among men over 50 years of age in the United States, OA is the second leading cause of work incapacity after ischemic heart disease. Osteoarthritis of the knee is the leading cause of chronic disability in people over middle age in developed countries (Figure 2).
Figure 2 Osteoarthrosis causes joint stiffness, pain, deformity, and difficulty walking
Epidemiology of osteoarthritis
Location Number of census respondents Prevalence of osteoarthritis
Shanghai 13451 13%
Shantou 2040 10.8%
Beijing 2063 38.7%
Patients over 60 years old accounted for 78.5%; there were significantly more female than male patients after 50 years old.
Basic medical knowledge: what is articular cartilage
Many patients hear their doctors say that they have a problem with their knee joint and a so-called cartilage lesion. Where is cartilage? Is it the brittle bone that is often referred to?
As the name implies, articular cartilage is located on the surface of the joint and consists of the matrix that maintains function and the chondrocytes that synthesize and maintain nutrition (Figure 3). To use a figurative analogy, we are familiar with the composition of walls, where the wall skin is equivalent to the articular cartilage and the wall tiles are equivalent to the bone under the cartilage.
Figure 3 Composition of articular cartilage
The cartilage cells and proteoglycans are scattered in a meshwork of collagen fibers (oral supplementation with glucosamine or injections of hyaluronic acid is a supplement to this component. When the reticular structure is lost, the treatment is not effective).
Degenerated articular cartilage (Figure 4)
Staging of osteoarthrosis.
Osteoarthrosis is mainly classified as early, intermediate and end-stage. The best period for conservative treatment is the early and intermediate stages. End-stage patients can only be treated with an artificial knee replacement.
Normal articular cartilage (Figure 5)
Early stage of osteoarthrosis (Figure 6)
Mid-stage osteoarthrosis (Figure 7)
End-stage osteoarthrosis (Figure 8)