Arthritis Treatment Knee Osteoarthritis Along With The Epidemic Of Knee Replacements

The most common kind of  arthritis, osteoarthritis (OA), influences more than 20 million Americans. One of the main targets for this disease is the knee.

OA affects articular cartilage, the gristle that caps the ends of long bones. Articular cartilage is a "pudding" which is made up of a matrix of proteoglycans (arrangements of proteins and glycogen molecules.) Furthermore, there is a framework of tough collagen fibers. Within this proteoglycan/collagen structure are cells called chondrocytes.

The maintenance of normal cartilage integrity is highly dependent upon the metabolic function of such chondrocytes.

Osteoarthritis of knee is a wear and tear disease of articular cartilage. It arises because of the lack of ability of cartilage to keep up with excessive breakdown.

The 1st stage that comes about in the process of OA is an alteration in the matrix. This causes loss of cartilage resiliency. Additionally, proteins that promote inflammation (called inflammatory cytokines) are produced by the joint lining. All of these cytokines activate destructive enzymes, called proteases which degrade the matrix and result in the chondrocytes to malfunction.

To date, the cure for meniscus tear symptoms is mostly symptomatic. Numerous medicines, called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), analgesics (pain-killers), exercises, physical therapy, and injections are utilized to provide palliative relief. Ultimately, though, patients will go on to have knee replacement surgery.

As this operation has largely been reserved for elderly patients, joint replacement surgery is rising at an alarming rate among Baby boomers who want to maintain a specific level of activity.

According to a recent report (Associated Press, Lindsay Tanner), "nearly one in twenty Americans older than 50 has an artificial knee- that's four million individuals!"

The federal Agency for Healthcare Research and excellent  has issued a recent report showing that knee replacements tripled in people ages 45 to 64 between 1997 and 2009. As it's admirable and speaks to the increased activity level in a group of patients that formerly would be sitting in rocking chairs, in another sense, it raises other issues.

This is specially  disturbing as revision surgery (replacement of the replacement) will be required in the future and this is a  way more hard and high priced endeavor. Revision surgery takes longer, demands more expertise, is more confusing, and has a greater likelihood of complications.

Definitely, there is a public health trouble if people with knee OA are taking place to get an operation which will add tremendous costs to an already overburdened healthcare system. More in a future article.