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The worldwide variety of instances of osteoarthritis, in addition to the incapacity related to the situation, has risen by greater than 130% over the previous three a long time amongst girls who’ve gone by way of the menopause, signifies a knowledge evaluation spanning 1990 to 2021, and printed within the journal BMJ International Well being.
Throughout this era, East Asia and high-income Asia-Pacific nations skilled the quickest progress within the situation, whereas extra weight accounted for 20% of the whole years lived with the ensuing incapacity, the evaluation signifies.
Osteoarthritis is primarily characterised by the deterioration and injury of joint cartilage, accompanied by bony transforming, joint dysfunction, and continual ache.
In 2020 alone, an estimated 595 million folks worldwide have been dwelling with the situation, comprising practically 8% of the world’s inhabitants, with postmenopausal girls at heightened danger.
To higher perceive the worldwide affect of osteoarthritis on this group, the researchers drew on the International Burden of Illness (GBD) 2021 examine. This collected and analyzed knowledge from 204 nations and territories for the prevalence, severity, and deaths attributable to 371 illnesses between 1990 and 2021.
The researchers centered specifically on charges of recent and current instances of knee, hip, hand, and ‘different’ osteoarthritis and years of wholesome life misplaced (DALYs) amongst postmenopausal girls, aged 55 and above.
The menopause alerts a decline in estrogen ranges, which not solely impacts skeletal well being, however can be immediately linked to the operate and stability of the joint system, clarify the researchers.
The GBD framework incorporates the SocioDemographic Index (SDI), a composite measure of a nation’s improvement, based mostly on earnings per head of the inhabitants, common years of schooling, and fertility charges for these below 25.
And to offer regional estimates of osteoarthritis, these nations and territories have been additional divided into 21 areas, based mostly on geographic proximity and cultural similarities.
Typically, international age-standardized charges of recent and current instances and DALYs for all sorts of osteoarthritis steadily elevated in postmenopausal girls throughout all age teams from 1990 to 2021.
In 2021 there have been 14,258,581 new instances; 278,568,950 current instances; and 99,447,16 DALYs, representing will increase of 133%, 140%, and 142% since 1990, respectively.
Excessive SDI areas exhibited considerably better incidence, prevalence, and DALY charges than different areas, except for different osteoarthritis.
Osteoarthritis of the knee was the most typical sort and related to the best lack of wholesome years of life (1,264.48/100,000 folks), adopted by that of the hand and “other.”
On the different finish of the spectrum, osteoarthritis of the hip was the least frequent and related to the bottom charges of DALYs.
Among the many 21 GBD areas, high-income Asia Pacific nations had the best age-standardized incidence, prevalence, and DALY charges for knee osteoarthritis per 100,000 folks, whereas nations in Central Asia reported the bottom age-standardized charges.
The quickest rise in new instances of knee osteoarthritis occurred in Southeast Asia whereas probably the most speedy rise in prevalence and DALYs occurred in East Asia.
The best burden of hand osteoarthritis was in Central Asia whereas the bottom was in Oceania. The quickest rise in new and current instances of hand osteoarthritis, in addition to DALYs, was noticed in East Asia.
All age standardized charges for hip and different osteoarthritis have been comparatively comparable between older women and men of the identical age. However girls had considerably greater values for hand and knee osteoarthritis than males of the identical age.
Particularly, DALYs for hand osteoarthritis in 55–59-year-old girls have been practically twice as excessive as they have been in males of the identical age.
Hand and different osteoarthritis confirmed the quickest progress amongst 55–59 and 60–64-year-old girls over the previous decade.
Extra weight (BMI), a key danger issue for osteoarthritis, was the one danger issue investigated within the GBD 21 knowledge. It was outlined as above 20 to 23 kg/m² for these aged not less than 20.
Between 1990 and 2021 DALYs attributable to excessive BMI amongst postmenopausal girls rose considerably throughout all SDI classes, and in most areas, except for Central Asia.
Globally, DALYs attributed to excessive BMI amongst postmenopausal girls elevated from round 17% in 1990 to round 21% in 2021. Areas on the higher finish of SDIs had the best proportions of DALYs related to excessive BMI, exceeding 20%, with East Asia displaying the sharpest rise from round 14% to 23%.
Osteoarthritis attributed to excessive BMI was persistently extra of a problem for girls in all areas of the world and throughout all SDI classes.
The traits noticed in East Asia “may be linked to rapid population aging, increased workforce participation, and a surge in obesity rates due to urbanization and changing lifestyles,” counsel the researchers.
“Conversely, the high burden observed in high-income Asia Pacific could be attributed to advanced health care systems with better diagnostic capabilities, facilitating comprehensive identification and reporting of [osteoarthritis] cases,” they add.
The researchers acknowledge varied limitations to their findings, together with regional variations in knowledge high quality, whereas knowledge from low-income nations have been usually scarce. The age cut-off of 55 may have excluded girls who have been postmenopausal at youthful ages.
However they conclude: “The burden of [osteoarthritis] among postmenopausal women continues to escalate, highlighting its significant impact on [their] global health.”
They add, “There is an urgent need for proactive measures to rigorously monitor and manage risk factors, with a particular emphasis on promoting lifestyle adjustments aimed at controlling BMI. Additionally, policies should be implemented that take into account socio-demographic disparities, to effectively alleviate the burden of [osteoarthritis] in postmenopausal women.”
Extra info:
International burden of osteoarthritis amongst postmenopausal girls in 204 nations and territories: a scientific evaluation for the International Burden of Illness Examine 2021, BMJ International Well being (2025). DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2024-017198
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British Medical Journal
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International examine finds greater than 130% rise in postmenopausal osteoarthritis over previous three a long time (2025, March 4)
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