Abstract :
[en] Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common chronic joint disorder and its prevalence increases rapidly
during midlife. Complex interactions of genetic alterations, sex hormone deficit, and aging with mechanical
factors and systemic inflammation-associated metabolic syndrome lead to joint damage. Thus, the
expression of a clinical phenotype in the early stages of OA relies on the main underlying pathway and
predominant joint tissue involved at a given time. Moreover, OA often coexists with other morbidities in
the same patient, which in turn condition the OA process. In this scenario, an appropriate identification
of clinical phenotypes, especially in the early stages of the disease, may optimize the design of individualized
treatments in OA. An ESCEO-EUGMS (European Union Geriatric Medicine Society) working group
has recently suggested possible patient profiles in OA. Hereby, we propose the existence of 4 clinical
phenotypes – biomechanical, osteoporotic, metabolic and inflammatory – whose characterization would
help to properly stratify patients with OA in clinical trials or studies. Further research in this field is
warranted.
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