Osteoarthritis is a common condition that affects the joints, making movement painful and difficult.
It happens when the cartilage, which is the smooth protective layer at the ends of the bones, begins to wear down over time.
Without enough cartilage, the bones rub against each other, causing pain, stiffness, and swelling.
This condition is particularly common in older adults, with more than 500 million people worldwide living with osteoarthritis. While many people know osteoarthritis as a joint problem, recent research shows that it may also lead to other serious health issues.
A long-term study has revealed that people with osteoarthritis may develop several other long-term diseases much faster than those without the condition.
This accumulation of multiple health problems is known as “multimorbidity”—when someone has more than one chronic illness at the same time, such as heart disease, diabetes, or lung problems. The study suggests that osteoarthritis could double the risk of developing multimorbidity at an accelerated rate.
To understand why this happens, researchers analyzed health records from the Skåne region in Sweden, which has a population of around 1.4 million people. The study focused on 9,846 individuals over the age of 40 who were newly diagnosed with osteoarthritis between 2008 and 2009.
The average age of the group was 66, and 58% of them were women. These people were compared to another group of 19,692 people of the same age and sex who did not have osteoarthritis.
The researchers tracked the health of both groups from 1998 to 2019, examining how many other health conditions developed during that time. They found that osteoarthritis seemed to speed up the development of additional health issues.
Participants were divided into four groups based on how quickly their health worsened. The first group (Class 1) had mild health problems by the end of the study, developing about three conditions at a slow rate.
The second group (Class 2) also had mild issues but developed them earlier and more quickly. The third group (Class 3) developed a moderate number of health issues, while the fourth group (Class 4) had the worst outcomes. People in this group had an average of 10 health conditions, and more than half of them had died by the end of the study.
At the start of the study in 1998, nearly all participants were healthy. But by 2019, significant differences had emerged between the groups.
The most concerning finding was that people with osteoarthritis were more than twice as likely to end up in Class 4—the group with the most health problems and the highest death rate—compared to those without osteoarthritis.
This suggests that osteoarthritis might be more than just a joint problem; it could be a warning sign for other serious health issues. While aging naturally leads to more health problems, osteoarthritis seems to speed up this process beyond what age alone would explain.
There are a few possible reasons for this. People with osteoarthritis often reduce their physical activity due to joint pain. This lack of movement can lead to weight gain, higher blood pressure, and other health issues.
Additionally, chronic inflammation, which is the body’s response to osteoarthritis, can harm other parts of the body over time. Diet could also play a role, especially if people are consuming more calories than needed.
It’s important to note that this study was observational, meaning it looked at data over time but didn’t directly test treatments or changes. As such, it can’t prove that osteoarthritis causes other diseases. It also didn’t track factors like diet, activity levels, or weight, which all affect health outcomes.
However, the study highlights an important point: managing osteoarthritis might help people avoid developing other serious health problems. Staying active, eating well, and reducing inflammation could help people with osteoarthritis slow down or prevent the development of additional conditions.
In conclusion, osteoarthritis isn’t just about joint pain. It may be part of a larger health picture that affects the whole body. Recognizing the condition early and making healthy lifestyle choices could improve overall health and lead to a longer, healthier life—not just for the joints, but for the body as a whole.
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