7.4 Flashcards
(10 cards)
- What is the societal burden of osteoarthritis (OA)?
OA affects over 500 million people globally, causes chronic pain and disability, and imposes billions of dollars in direct and indirect costs.
- What is the personal burden of OA for affected individuals?
Individuals experience chronic pain, reduced mobility, decreased quality of life, and may face early retirement or psychological distress.
- How does mechanobiology contribute to normal synovial joint function?
Mechanobiology allows joint tissues to sense and adapt to mechanical load, maintaining low friction movement and structural integrity.
- What components form the normal synovial joint organ?
A joint comprises articular cartilage, subchondral bone, synovium, synovial fluid, menisci, ligaments, and surrounding muscles.
- What are the basic pathophysiological changes in osteoarthritis?
OA involves cartilage degradation, subchondral bone sclerosis, osteophyte formation, synovial inflammation, and altered tissue cross-talk.
- How is OA more than just “wear and tear”?
It is an active biological process involving inflammatory cytokines, degradative enzymes, and aberrant bone remodeling.
- What does the term ‘OA phenotypes’ mean?
OA phenotypes are distinct subtypes (e.g., biomechanical, osteoporotic, inflammatory, metabolic) that reflect different initiating factors and tissue involvement.
- Why is understanding OA phenotypes important?
Identifying phenotypes helps tailor therapies to target specific disease mechanisms for more effective treatment.
- What role do soluble mediators play in OA?
They include cytokines and enzymes that promote cartilage breakdown and drive inflammation and bone remodeling.
- How do altered biomechanics contribute to OA pathophysiology?
Abnormal loading and joint instability damage joint tissues, triggering degenerative and inflammatory changes.
