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Review article

OSTEOARTHRITIS: A MECHANICAL DISORDER OR AN INFLAMMATORY DISEASE?

Nadica Laktašić-Žerjavić


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Abstract

Osteoarthritis is an organ-level failure affecting the whole
joint. Biomechanical and genetic factors play an important
role in the initiation and progression of osteoarthritis, while
inflammation has a significant role in the progression of
the disease and cartilage loss, causing joint pain, swelling,
and stiffness. There is some evidence that synovitis might
be involved in the initiation of osteoarthritis as well. Osteoarthritis
is characterized by a progressive degeneration
of articular cartilage, subchondral bone remodeling, osteophyte
formation, and subsequent joint space narrowing accompanied by different degrees of synovitis. It is unclear
whether bone changes occur before or after cartilage changes.
There is a close physical relationship between cartilage
and subchondral bone, with a biochemical and molecular
communication triggered by abnormal mechanical stress,
since chondrocytes and subchondral osteocytes act as mechanosensors.

Keywords

osteoarthritis; pathophysiology; synovitis; cartilage; aging; mechanical stress

Hrčak ID:

182725

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/182725

Publication date:

10.10.2015.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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