Osteoarthritis (OA), which is also known as osteoarthrosisor degenerative joint disease (DJD), is a progressivedisorder of the joints caused by gradual loss ofcartilage and resulting in the development of bony spursand cysts at the margins of the joints. The nameosteoarthritis comes from three Greek words meaningbone, joint, and inflammation.DescriptionOA is one of the most common causes of disabilitydue to limitations of joint movement, particularly in peopleover 50. It is estimated that 2% of the United Statespopulation under the age of 45 suffers from osteoarthritis;this figure rises to 30% of persons between 45 and64, and 6385% in those over 65. About 90% of theAmerican population will have some features of OA intheir weight-bearing joints by age 40. Men tend to developOA at earlier ages than women.OA occurs most commonly after 40 years of age andtypically develops gradually over a period of years.Patients with OA may have joint pain on only one side ofthe body and it primarily affects the knees, hands, hips,feet, and spine.PROGNOSISOA is a progressive disorder without a permanentcure. In some patients, the rate of progression can beslowed by weight loss, appropriate exercise, surgicaltreatment, and the use of alternative therapies

The prognosis of patients with osteoarthritis depends on which joints are affected and whether or not they are causing symptoms and impaired function. Some patients are unaffected by osteoarthritis while others can be severely disabled. Joint replacement surgery for some results in the best long-term outcome. Finally, if you are concerned that osteoarthritis could be lead to injury of the internal organs, don't be. Osteoarthritis does not cause internal organ damage or blood test abnormalitiesPrognosis Most people affected by OA do not become severely disabled. Knee OA seems to have the worst prognosis with most cases deteriorating over a ten-year period. Hand OA has the best. A recent study has shown that generalised OA is associated with the radiological progression of knee OA. Knee pain, baseline radiological severity, sex, quadriceps strength, knee injury and regular sport activities did not seem to be related to the progression of OA in the knee.[8]

Epidemiology[2] OA is one of the most common chronic diseases, with an estimated overall prevalence in the general adult population of 11% for hip OA and 24% for knee OA, respectively. OA is age-related, with manifestations often not occurring until middle age. Body weight and body mass index: should be recorded. MRI: may be useful to distinguish other causes of joint pain. Blood tests: are normal in OA. Consider checking baseline FBC, creatinine and LFTs before starting a patient on non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Joint aspiration: may be considered for swollen joints to exclude other causes such as septic arthritis and gout. See the separate article onJoint Injection and AspirationDifferential diagnosis Knee OA:prepatellar bursitis,referred pain from the hip or spine. Hip OA: bursitis, referred pain from the knee or spine. OA of any joint:pseudogout,psoriatic arthritis,septic arthritis,viral arthritis,reactive arthritissuch as Reiter's syndrome,rheumatoid arthritis,gout,connective tissue disease,seronegative arthritis such asankylosing spondylitis,referred pain, and medical conditions presenting with arthropathy