Osteoarthritis is a common condition where the protective cartilage between bones wears down over time, often leading to joint pain and stiffness.
While it’s long been known to affect mobility and quality of life, new research suggests it may also more than double the risk of developing several other long-term health conditions at a faster rate.
A 20-year study, published in RMD Open, followed people in Sweden to better understand how osteoarthritis may lead to what’s known as multimorbidity—the presence of multiple ongoing health problems.
The findings show that osteoarthritis can significantly increase the speed at which people develop other serious diseases, making it not just a joint condition but a possible early sign of broader health decline.
The research used data from the Skåne region in Sweden, covering about 1.4 million people. Scientists focused on adults aged 40 and above who were newly diagnosed with osteoarthritis between 2008 and 2009.
This group included nearly 10,000 people, mostly in their mid-60s, with 58% being women. For comparison, each person was matched with two others of the same age and sex who did not have osteoarthritis, bringing the total to almost 30,000 participants.
Researchers tracked the number of long-term conditions each person developed between 1998 and 2019. These conditions included things like heart disease, diabetes, and mental health disorders. While some participants stayed relatively healthy, most developed one or more additional chronic illnesses during the study period.
By examining how quickly these illnesses appeared, the researchers identified four patterns of disease progression:
- Class 1 (Mild Late Progression): People in this group developed conditions slowly and had the fewest health issues by the end of the study.
- Class 2 (Mild Early Progression): Conditions appeared earlier but were fewer and less severe.
- Class 3 (Moderate Progression): Participants experienced a moderate number of conditions over time.
- Class 4 (Severe Progression): This group developed the highest number of illnesses, averaging around 10 by the study’s end, and more than half of them had died.
The results showed a clear trend: osteoarthritis was more common in the more severe classes. About 29% of people in the slowest progressing group had osteoarthritis, compared to 42% in the most severe group. Having osteoarthritis increased the chance of being in the worst-off group by more than two times.
This suggests that for some people, osteoarthritis may be one of the first signs of a much larger problem. The researchers believe that inflammation, lack of physical activity, and unhealthy diets may be contributing factors that link osteoarthritis to the faster development of other conditions.
While aging is naturally associated with health decline, the study found that the connection between osteoarthritis and other chronic diseases remained strong even when age was taken into account.
It’s important to note that this was an observational study. That means researchers can’t say for sure that osteoarthritis causes these other conditions—only that there is a strong link. The study also didn’t include information about physical activity levels, diet, or weight, all of which can affect long-term health.
Still, the findings raise important questions. If osteoarthritis can lead to faster health decline, early treatment and lifestyle changes might help slow down or even prevent the onset of other diseases. More research is needed to confirm these links and explore whether things like exercise, diet, or anti-inflammatory treatments could make a difference.
In short, this study sheds new light on osteoarthritis as more than just a joint issue. It may be an early warning sign of broader health problems to come—emphasizing the need for early action to support both joint and overall health.
If you care about pain, please read studies about how to manage gout with a low-purine diet, and a guide to eating right for arthritis.
For more health information, please see recent studies about the link between processed foods and chronic diseases, and avoid these 8 foods to ease arthritis pain.
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