Arthritis: Causes, Symptoms and Treatments

Last updated: Wednesday 18 November 2015

Although the word "arthritis" means joint inflammation, the term is used to describe around 200 rheumatic diseases and conditions that affect joints, the tissues that surround the joint, and other connective tissue.⁵

The most common form of arthritis is osteoarthritis. Other common rheumatic conditions include gout, fibromyalgia andrheumatoid arthritis.⁴

Contents of this article:

You will also see introductions at the end of some sections to any recent developments that have been covered byMNT's news stories. Also look out for links to information about related conditions.

Fast facts on arthritis

Here are some key points about arthritis. More detail and supporting information is in the main article.

"Arthritis" defines around 200 rheumatic disease and conditions that affect joints.
Rheumatic diseases encompass numerous diseases which span from various types of arthritis toosteoporosis and also systemic connective tissue diseases.
Types of arthritis such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis affect multiple organs and cause a long list of symptoms.
In the US, there are reported to be 52.5 million adults with some form of arthritis.
Arthritis can impair a person's ability to perform "everyday" tasks.
Physical activity has a positive effect on arthritis and can improve pain, function and mental health.
The most common comorbid condition experienced with arthritis is heart disease.
Arthritis may be caused by injury, abnormal metabolism, genetic makeup, infections or an overactive immune system.
Treatment for arthritis aims to control pain, minimize joint damage and improve or maintain quality of life.
Arthritis is treated with a combination of medications, physical therapies and patient education and support.

What is arthritis?

The term "arthritis" is used to describe numerous rheumatic diseases and conditions that affect joints.

Typically, pain, aching, stiffness and swelling in and around one or more joints characterize rheumatic conditions. The symptoms can develop gradually or suddenly. Certain rheumatic conditions can also involve the immune system and various internal organs of the body.⁶

Some forms of arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, can affect multiple organs and cause widespread symptoms.

Arthritis is more common among adults aged 65 years or older, but people of all ages (including children) can be affected.

Prevalence of arthritis

There are 52.5 million adults in the US, equating to 22.7% of the population, reported to have a form of arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, lupus or fibromyalgia.¹

With people living longer in the US, the prevalence of doctor-diagnosed arthritis is expected to increase. It has been estimated that by the year 2030, 67 million, 25% of the projected total adult population aged 18 years and older, will have doctor-diagnosed arthritis.

Arthritis has a significantly higher age-adjusted prevalence in women (23.9%) than men (18.6%), with the prevalence increasing with age and higher among women than men in every age group.

An estimated 294,000 children under the age of 18 have some form of arthritis or rheumatic condition; this represents approximately 1 in every 250 children in the US.⁴

Impact of arthritis

Arthritis has a significant impact on individuals, for example:¹

Almost 43.2% (22.7 million) of adults with arthritis report limitations in their usual activities
40% report that it is "very difficult" or they "cannot do" at least 1 of 9 important daily functional activities
Almost 8 million adults who report an activity limitation due to arthritis also report severe limitation in their ability to stoop, bend, or kneel, and 6 million cannot walk 0.25 miles
31% (8.3 million) of working age adults with arthritis report limitations in work.

Impairment in the ability of people with arthritis to perform essential daily tasks may interfere with their work, their purpose in their community, or the care they can provide for their family.

Disability

Around 18% of total disabilities are caused by arthritis or rheumatism, making it the most common cause of disability in the US.

Emotional health

Arthritis has a strong association with major depression, with a risk of 18.1%. This could be due to its role in creating functional limitation. Around 6.6% of adults with arthritis report severe psychological distress.

BMI

Prevalence of arthritis increases with body mass index (BMI). Prevalence increases from 16.3% among underweight and normal adults to 20.3% of overweight adults and 28.9% of obese adults.

Reports among adults by BMI show the following groups express activity limitations:

38.2% of underweight and normal
37.2% of overweight
44.8% of obese.

Arthritis and exercise

Physical activity and exercise have been shown to benefit people with arthritis by improving pain, function and mental health. However, around 24% of adults with arthritis report being physically inactive compared with 18.6% of adults without arthritis.

By partaking in low levels of exercise, individuals with arthritis face placing themselves at risk of conditions associated with lack of activity such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity and functional limitations.

Risk factors for arthritis

Certain factors have been shown to be associated with a greater risk of arthritis. Some of these risk factors are modifiable while others are not.

Non-modifiable arthritis risk factors:

Age: the risk of developing most types of arthritis increases with age
Gender: most types of arthritis are more common in women; 60% of all people with arthritis are women. Gout is more common in men than women
Genetic: specific genes are associated with a higher risk of certain types of arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematousus (SLE) and ankylosing spondylitis.

Modifiable arthritis risk factors:

Overweight and obesity: excess weight can contribute to both the onset and progression of knee osteoarthritis
Joint injuries: damage to a joint can contribute to the development of osteoarthritis in that joint
Infection: many microbial agents can infect joints and potentially cause the development of various forms of arthritis
Occupation: certain occupations that involve repetitive knee bending and squatting are associated with osteoarthritis of the knee.

The cost of arthritis

Cost attributable to arthritis and other rheumatic conditions (AORC) in the US in 2003 was approximately:²

$128 billion in total costs - 1.2% of the 2003 US gross domestic product (GDP)
$80.8 billion direct costs - the largest components were for ambulatory care (52.1%), inpatient care (20.0%) and prescription drugs (19.3%)
$47.0 billion indirect costs - lost earnings
By state, a total ranging from $226 million in the District of Columbia to $12.1 billion in California.

Comorbidities

The CDC reports that 47% of US adults with arthritis also have at least one comorbid condition (the presence of more than one disease or condition in the same person at the same time).³

Among people with arthritis the most common comorbidities are:

Heart disease - 24% (11.2 million)
Chronic respiratory conditions - 19% (9.0 million)
Diabetes - 16% (7.3 million)
Stroke - 6.8% (3.2 million).

Risk factors for other chronic conditions are common among US adults with arthritis, such as:

High blood pressure - 53%
Physical inactivity - 47%
High cholesterol - 47%
Obesity - 36%
Smoking - 19%.

More than half (53%) of US adult with arthritis report high blood pressure. High blood pressure is associated with heart disease - the most common comorbidity among adults with arthritis.

Approximately 1 in 5 (19%) of US adults with arthritis are smokers. Smoking is associated with chronic respiratory conditions - the second most common comorbidity among adults with arthritis.

Hospitalizations from arthritis

In 2004, there were an estimated:⁴

744,000 hospitalizations with a principal diagnosis of arthritis
5 million hospitalizations with a principal or secondary diagnosis of arthritis
78 million ambulatory care visits with a primary diagnosis of AORC.

Joint replacements

In 2004, joint replacements for arthritis included:⁴

454,652 total knee replacements
232,857 total hip replacements
41,934 shoulder replacements
12,055 other joint replacements.

Mortality

Between the years of 1979-1998, the AORC deaths increased from 5,537 to 9,367.⁴ The approximate death rate from AORC in 1979 was 2.46 per 100,000 population and 3.48 per 100,000 population in 1998. Both rates age-standardized to the year 2000 population were 2.75 and 3.51, respectively.

Using 10 categories of AORC, just three categories accounted for almost 80% of deaths:⁹

Diffuse connective tissues diseases: 34% - mostly SLE and systemic sclerosis
Other specified rheumatic conditions: 23% - mostly vasculitis
RA: 22%.

What causes arthritis?

There is no one cause for arthritis; the cause depends on the type or form of arthritis.

Potential causes for arthritis may include:

Injury - leading to degenerative arthritis
Abnormal metabolism - leading to gout and pseudogout
Inheritance - such as in osteoarthritis
Infections - such as in the arthritis of Lyme disease
Overactive immune system - such as RA and SLE.

For many arthritis conditions, there is a strong element of chance involved as to what is the main cause. However, for most types of arthritis, the cause is a combination of many factors working together.

A person may naturally be more susceptible to certain conditions due to genetic makeup. If more susceptible, external factors such as previous injury, infection, smoking and physically demanding occupations could play a part.

comparison of healthy joint and joint with osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is caused by a reduction in the normal amount of cartilage tissue through wear and tear throughout life.

There are some foods that appear to exacerbate arthritis, although diet or food sensitivity or intolerance is unlikely to cause arthritis.

Cartilage is a flexible, connective tissue in joints that absorb the pressure and shock created from movement like running and walking. It also protects the joints and allows for smooth movement.³⁴

Some types of arthritis are caused by a reduction in the normal amount of cartilage tissue through wear and tear throughout life, such as osteoarthritis.

RA, on the other hand, occurs when the body's immune system attacks the tissues of the body.

Recent developments on arthritis causes from MNT news

Why do knuckles and joints crack? Can cracking joints cause arthritis?

The joints that "crack" are often the knuckles, knees, ankles, back and neck, and there are numerous reasons why these joints "sound off." However, can your knuckle-cracking habit that aggravates the masses give you arthritis? Or is it just another harmless habit?

Child antibiotic exposure linked to juvenile arthritis

Children prescribed courses of antibiotics were found to have twice the risk of developing juvenile arthritis than children who did not receive antibiotics, according to the findings of a new study published in Pediatrics.

interesting factors

Saturday, 21 November 2015