Author:

Keywords:

osteoarthritis, growth factors, subchondral, bone, iliac crest bone, growth-factor-beta, articular-cartilage, osteo-arthritis, subchondral bone, serum levels, insulin, joints, women, hip, Science & Technology, Life Sciences & Biomedicine, Orthopedics, Rheumatology, ILIAC CREST BONE, GROWTH-FACTOR-BETA, ARTICULAR-CARTILAGE, OSTEO-ARTHRITIS, SUBCHONDRAL BONE, SERUM LEVELS, INSULIN, JOINTS, WOMEN, HIP

Abstract:

Although both common age-related disorders, primary osteoarthritis and primary osteoporosis, and, in particular, fractures and osteoarthritis of the hip, rarely coexist. Recent evidence supports the hypothesis that both quantitative and qualitative differences in bone may explain the inverse relationship between osteoarthritis and osteoporosis. Among other factors, elevated bone content of growth factors may contribute to both the increased bone density and the decreased occurrence of osteoporotic fractures associated with osteoarthritis. While providing protection against osteoporosis, these changes may predispose to articular cartilage loss. It is possible that the increase in growth factor levels in osteoarthritic bone might be related to some extent to oestrogen and growth hormone IGF-I-excess. However, the mechanisms underlying the association between osteoblastic synthesis of growth factors and osteoarthritis remain to be elucidated.