Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic degenerative musculoskeletal disorder of elderly population characterized by joint pain, stiffness and deformity due to degeneration of articular cartilage. An imbalance of joint functioning initiates the disease process which is then worsened through biochemical changes in the collagen of the joint . At the end stage of the disease, a failure of the cellular response occurs with a full thickness loss of articular cartilage, thickening of subchondral bone, appearance of large osteophytes and tibio- femoral mal-alignment OA accounts for half of all chronic conditions and affects middle aged and older people all around the world.The prevalence of OA increases indefinitely with age . Global statistics reveal that nearly against chronic diseases states that India is expected to be the chronic disease capital, with 60 million people with arthritis, by 2025. A study confined to rural India reported the prevalence of OA to be 5.78% . OA leads to reduced daily activities and quality of life (QoL) of individuals due to troubled mobility and disability caused by joint pain and stiffness . The rapid increase in the prevalence of this already common disease suggests that OA will have a growing impact on health care system in the near future . OA is a persistent debilitating disease of mobile joints which most often involves the weight-bearing synovial joints. It is the most frequent reason for joint replacement. Among various forms of arthritis, OA is the most quotidian, particularly knee OA (KOA) followed by hip OA . Wrist, foot, spine are the other common sites. 151 million people worldwide suffer from OA . 80% of people experience limitation of movement and 25% cannot perform major daily activities. A report on the global burden of the disease published by World Health Organization (WHO) demonstrated that OA is likely to become the fourth leading cause of disability in women and the eighth in men. Epidemiological profile of OA in India is not clear but it is estimated to be the second most common rheumatologic problem. According to several studies, OA is found to be the most frequent joint disease with prevalence in the range of 17% to 60.6% in India .
Hinweis: Dieser Artikel kann nur an eine deutsche Lieferadresse ausgeliefert werden.
Hinweis: Dieser Artikel kann nur an eine deutsche Lieferadresse ausgeliefert werden.