THE NEW YORK TIMES – It may start as a twinge in your knee or hip when you get out of bed. Over time, that twinge may turn into persistent pain, swelling or reduced range of motion — signs of a condition called osteoarthritis.
But as with many other chronic conditions, doctors are unable to diagnose osteoarthritis until it has already progressed significantly and has interfered with everyday activities.
Scientists are racing to find ways to diagnose osteoarthritis earlier and stave off or slow some of the damage from the disease, which affects over 32.5 million adults in the United States and more than 500 million people worldwide.
Research has started to show that osteoarthritis is not caused solely by everyday wear and tear on joints, like the deterioration of rubber treads on a tire over time.
In some patients, persistent, low-grade inflammation might accelerate the progression of the disease or even cause it.
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And scientists now believe the damage can start long before symptoms appear.
In a new study published last week, researchers from Duke University identified molecules circulating in the blood of women that might serve as markers of the disease up to eight years before an X-ray picked up changes in their bones.
“This tells us that there is an osteoarthritis continuum,” said Dr. Virginia Byers Kraus, lead author of the study and a professor of medicine at Duke. “You’re already on an escalator that’s leading you up the path to symptoms and X-ray changes way before we thought.”
What happens in the body in osteoarthritis?
The disease affects cartilage, a protective tissue that serves as padding between the bones in your joints, allowing them to glide over each other when you walk, climb stairs or bend to pick up groceries.
It is constantly breaking down with exercise and everyday activities …
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