Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic degenerative disorder characterized by cartilage loss. Its prevalence is high, and it is a major cause of disability. The cause of OA is not known; however, current evidence indicates that it is multifactorial. Major risk factors for osteoarthritis are age, female sex, obesity, geographic factors, occupational knee-bending, physical labour, genetic factors and race, joint trauma, vitamin D deficiency, and chondrocalcinosis. Osteoarthritis causes joint pain, stiffness, and limitation of joint function. Knee involvement is the commonest presentation of this disease all over the world. Given the absence of a curative treatment, it is important to treat osteoarthritis as effectively as possible using a multidisciplinary approach tailored to the patient's needs. This article reviews current thinking on the epidemiology, clinical presentation, lifestyle, genetic epidemiology, and management of osteoarthritis in developing countries.

Key words: developing countries, epidemiology, genetic epidemiology, lifestyle effect, vitamin D, management