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INTRODUCTION<\/strong><\/p>\n Two common conditions \u2013 osteoarthritis and atherosclerosis \u2013 may be more closely linked in women than\u00a0previously thought.<\/p>\n WHAT DO WE KNOW ALREADY?<\/strong><\/p>\n Osteoarthritis and atherosclerosis don\u2019t seem to have much in common. Osteoarthritis is a condition that\u00a0makes joints stiff and painful, often in the knees, hips, and hands. Atherosclerosis, on the other hand, affects\u00a0the arteries. It occurs when fatty deposits called plaques build up along the inside of these blood vessels. This\u00a0is an early sign of heart disease. The plaques can narrow and clog the arteries, which can lead to heart attacks\u00a0and strokes.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Despite the differences between the conditions, some studies suggest they may be related. For example,\u00a0research shows that people with osteoarthritis in their knee or hip have a raised risk of dying of heart and circulation\u00a0problems, which are often caused by atherosclerosis. Also, long-term inflammation is a main feature of To learn more about how these conditions might be linked, researchers gathered data on 5,650 men and\u00a0women aged 55 and older who\u2019d taken part in a large study in the Netherlands. At the start of the study, each\u00a0person had scans of their arteries to check for atherosclerosis. They also had X-rays to check whether they had WHAT DOES THE NEW STUDY SAY?<\/strong><\/p>\n Women with atherosclerosis were more likely to have osteoarthritis in their knees and hands, but not in their\u00a0hips, compared with women without atherosclerosis. The difference in risk was fairly small but significant.\u00a0Women with osteoarthritis in their hands also had a higher chance of it getting worse if they had atherosclerosis HOW RELIABLE ARE THE FINDINGS?<\/strong><\/p>\n This was a good-quality study that took account of several things that might have been responsible for the link\u00a0between osteoarthritis and atherosclerosis, including people\u2019s ages, whether they smoked, and whether they\u00a0had other health conditions. This makes it more likely that the link with atherosclerosis and osteoarthritis in WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR ME?<\/strong><\/p>\n These findings suggest that there is a link between osteoarthritis and atherosclerosis in women aged 55 and\u00a0older. This may mean that women with osteoarthritis in the hand or knee also have a higher risk of heart\u00a0disease. However, it\u2019s too soon to know for certain. Future studies will need to explore this link and what it Disclaimer<\/strong>: This is a summary of a scientific article written by a medical professional (\u201cthe Original Article\u201d). The Summary is written to assist non medically trained readers to understand general points of the Original Article. \u00a0It should not be relied on in any way whatsoever<\/span>, (which also means the Summary is not medical advice), and is simply supplied to aid a lay understanding of general points of the Original Article. It is supplied \u201cas is\u201d without any warranty. You should note that the Original Article (and Summary) may not be accurate as errors can occur and also may be out of date as medical science is constantly changing. \u00a0It is very important that readers not rely on the content in the Summary and consult their medical professionals for all aspects of their health care. Do not use this Summary as medical advice even if the Summary is supplied to the reader by a medical professional.<\/strong> Date summary prepared:\u00a0June 2013<\/p>\n Summary based on research article published on:\u00a06 May 2012<\/p>\n From:\u00a0 Hoeven, T, A. et al\u00a0<\/em>Association of atherosclerosis with presence and progression of osteoarthritis: the Rotterdam Study.\u00a0Ann Rheum Dis<\/em> 2013;72:646-651 doi:10.1136\/annrheumdis-2011-201178<\/a><\/p>\n Copyright \u00a9 2015 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd & European League Against Rheumatism. Medical professionals may print copies for their and their patients and students non commercial use. Other individuals may print a single copy for their personal, non commercial use. For other uses please contact our Rights and Licensing<\/a> Team.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" INTRODUCTION Two common conditions \u2013 osteoarthritis and atherosclerosis \u2013 may be more closely linked in women than\u00a0previously thought. WHAT DO WE KNOW ALREADY? Osteoarthritis and atherosclerosis don\u2019t seem to have much in common. Osteoarthritis is a condition that\u00a0makes joints stiff and painful, often in the knees, hips, and hands. Atherosclerosis, on the other hand, […]<\/p>\n
\nboth conditions \u2013 in the joints for osteoarthritis and in the arteries for atherosclerosis.<\/p>\n
\nosteoarthritis in their knees, hips, and hands, and how severe it was if present. The people had X-rays again\u00a0after about six years and then once more after 10 years.\u00a0The researchers used this information to see whether people with atherosclerosis were more likely to have\u00a0osteoarthritis and whether it was more likely to get worse over time.<\/p>\n
\nas well.\u00a0The researchers did not find a link between atherosclerosis and osteoarthritis in men.<\/p>\n
\nwomen is genuine.<\/p>\n
\nmeans. This may one day lead to a better understanding of both conditions and how to prevent and treat\u00a0them.<\/p>\n
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