Osteoarthritis research leads to better understanding of the disease. All of the research done at The Arthritis Research Institute of America is epidemiological research.

The researchers continue to search for the risk factors for osteoarthritis. Read our published papers below to learn more about osteoarthritis research advancements.

Osteoarthritis Research Articles

Epidemiology: The Basic Science of Public Health

Description: The author examines definitions of public health and epidemiology and briefly traces the history of epidemiology through 20th century and suggests prospects for the next one.
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Does Diabetes Hide Osteoarthritis Pain?

Description: It is hypothesized that an insidiously increasing diabetic neuropathy, particularly in the lower extremity, while first causing some pain, may gradually inhibit the ability to feel pain which might have otherwise been reported by those patients without neuropathy…
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Large-Scale Meta-Analysis of Interleukin-1 Beta and Interleukin-1 Receptor Antagonist Polymorphisms on Risk of Radiographic Hip and Knee Osteoarthritis and Severity of Knee Osteoarthritis

Objective: To clarify the role of common genetic variation in the Interleukin-1B (IL1B) and Interleukin-1R antagonist (1L1RN) genes on risk of knee and hip osteoarthritis (OA) and severity of knee OA by means of large-scale meta-analyses.
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The Effects of Vitamin C Supplementation on Incident and Progressive Knee Osteoarthritis: A Longitudinal Study

Description: The objective is to evaluate the association between vitamin C supplementation and the incidence and progression of radiographic knee osteoarthritis (OA).
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Genetic Epidemiology of Hip and Knee Osteoarthritis

Objective: To address the need for standardization of osteoarthritis (OA) pheonotypes by examining the effect of heterogeneity among symptomatic (SOA) and radiographic osteoarthritis (ROA) phenotypes.
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Role of the Na(v)1.7 R1150W Amino Acid Change in Susceptibility to Symptomatic Knee Osteoarthritis and Multiple Regional Pain

Objective: To assess the genetic association of pain in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) and those with multiple regional pain with the R1150W variant in the
-subunit of the voltage-gated sodium channel NaV1.7.
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The Ile585Val TRPV1 Variant is Involved in Risk of Painful Knee Osteoarthritis

Objective: To assess if a coding variant in the gene encoding transient receptor potential cation channel, subfamily V, member 1 (TRPV1) is associated with genetic risk of painful knee osteoarthritis (OA).
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Radiographic Cervical Spine Osteoarthritis Progression Rates: A Longitudinal Assessment

Description: Relative to other sites, the cervical spine has received little attention in the osteoarthritis literature. Using data from a longitudinal study, we provide age-specific rates of radiographic cervical spine osteoarthritis, by gender.
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Job-Related Osteoarthritis of the Knee, Foot, Hand, and Cervical Spine

Objectives: To assess the influence of occupational exposures on risk of site-specific radiographic steoarthritis (OA) of the knee, hand, foot, and cervical spine.
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Site Specific Osteoarthritis and the Index to Ring Finger Length Ratio

Objective: To quantify the relationship between the index to ring finger length ratio second digit:fourth digit(2D:4D) and radiographic osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee.
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Exercise and Hand Osteoarthritis Symptomatology: A Controlled Crossover Trial

Purpose of Study: To investigate effects of daily 16-week home-based hand exercise among persons with hand OA.
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Vitamin Supplements and Radiographic Knee Osteoarthritis: The Clearwater Osteoarthritis Study

Objective: To evaluate the association between vitamin supplements and the incidence and progression of radiographic knee osteoarthritis (OA).
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The Association of BMI and Knee Pain Among Persons with Radiographic Knee Osteoarthritis: a Cross-Sectional Study

Description: Many people with radiographic knee osteoarthritis (RKOA) do not present with pain. It is suspected that such persons tend toward lower body mass index (BMI). The purpose of the study was to explore the relationship between BMI and knee pain among persons with RKOA.
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Diabetes and Site-specific Osteoarthritis

Purpose: Diabetes can affect the musculoskeletal system in a variety of ways. Hormone disturbances have been associated with early cartilage wear and secondary osteoarthritis. The investigation of this relationship using epidemiologic data can enhance our understanding of the underlying biologic mechanisms which may be at play. We sought to quantify the association between site-specific radiographic osteoarthritis (ROA) and self-reported diabetes.
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Height and Radiographic Osteoarthritis: An Epidemiological Assessment – Short Communication

Purpose: To epidemiologically assess the gender-specific relationship between height and radiographic osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee, hand, foot, and cervical spine.
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The Effects of Strength Training Among Persons with Hand Osteoarthritis: A Two-Year Follow-Up Study

Purpose: To determine the effects of two years of whole body strength training and gripper exercise on hand strength, pain, and function in adults with radiographic evidence of hand OA.
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Positive Hindfoot Valgus and Osteoarthritis of the First Metatarsophalangeal Joint

Purpose: To evaluate the association between increased hindfoot valgus and the subsequent development of osteoarthritis of the first metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint. Specifically, our hypothesis was that among individuals free from first MTP joint osteoarthritis, those who have positive hindfoot valgus are more likely to develop first MTP joint osteoarthritis than are those individuals with normal hindfoot alignment.
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Exercise and Osteoarthritis: Are We Stopping Too Early? Findings from the Clearwater Exercise Study

Description: The value of exercise for people with knee osteoarthritis (OA) receives continuing consideration.
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Joint-Specific Prevalence of Osteoarthritis of the Hand

Purpose: To quantify the prevalence of radiographic hand osteoarthritis (OA) among a group of community-dwelling individuals. Joint-specific prevalence rates/100 of radiographic OA of the hand were quantified and reported by age, gender, and dominant hand.
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Effect of Regular Exercise on the Radiographic Progression of Foot Osteoarthritis

Description: We investigated the relationship between ongoing exercise and radiographic progression of foot osteoarthritis.
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The Association Between Medication Usage and Dropout Status Among Participants of an Exercise Study for People With Osteoarthritis

Background and Purpose: Little is known about predictors of dropout status in exercise studies for people with osteoarthritis. Losses to follow-up can pose serious threats to study validity. The purpose of this study was to assess the ability of arthritis medication usage the month prior to enrollment to predict dropout status among participants in an exercise study for people with osteoarthritis.
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The Association of Radiographic Foot Osteoarthritis and Radiographic Osteoarthritis at Other Sites

Objective: To quantify the association between radiographic foot osteoarthritis (OA) and radiographic OA at four joints: second distal interphalangeal (DIP), third proximal interphalangeal (PIP), first carpometacarpal (CMC), and the knee.
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Osteoarthritis Pain and Weather

Objective: To evaluate the association between weather (barometric pressure, precipitation and temperature) and pain among individuals with osteoarthritis (OA) (n=154) at the following sites: neck, hand, shoulder, knee and foot.
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Smoking and Osteoarthritis: Is there an Association? The Clearwater Osteoarthritis Study

Objective: To evaluate the association between cigarette smoking and the subsequent development of osteoarthritis (OA) at four separate sites: knee, hand, foot and cervical spine.
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History of Acute Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis of the Knee: A Prospective Epidemiological Assessment. The Clearwater Osteoarthritis Study

Objective: To evaluate the association between acute joint injury to the knee and knee osteoarthritis (OA).
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Physical Activity as a Risk Factor for Osteoarthritis of the Knee

Description: A case-control study was conducted to evaluate the association between knee osteoarthritis (OA) and physical activity (PA) among a community group aged 40 years and older.
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