Current evidence for osteoarthritis treatments

Ther Adv Musculoskelet Dis. 2010 Feb;2(1):17-28. doi: 10.1177/1759720X09359889.

Abstract

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis and the leading cause of chronic disability among older people. The burden of the disease is expected to rise with an aging population and the increasing prevalence of obesity. Despite this, there is as yet no cure for OA. However, in recent years, a number of potential therapeutic advances have been made, in part due to improved understanding of the underlying pathophysiology. This review provides the current evidence for symptomatic management of OA including nonpharmacological, pharmacological and surgical approaches. The current state of evidence for disease-modifying therapy in OA is also reviewed.

Keywords: disease modification; management; non-pharmacological; osteoarthritis; pharmacological; surgical; symptom modification.