Osteoarthritis Tied to Higher Risk for Developing Long-Term Multimorbidity

WEDNESDAY, July 17, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Individuals with osteoarthritis (OA) face a higher risk for developing severe multimorbidity over 20 years, according to a study published online July 2 in RMD Open.

Andrea Dell'Isola, from Lund University in Sweden, and colleagues examined multimorbidity trajectories over 20 years among 9,846 individuals with incident OA and OA-free matched controls.

The researchers identified four classes. At baseline, all classes had a low average number of chronic conditions (one or less). Progression increased for each class. For example, class 1 had the slowest progression toward multimorbidity and had the lowest count of chronic conditions at the end of the follow-up (mean, 2.9), while class 4 had the highest (9.6). Across classes, the presence of OA was associated with higher relative risk (adjusted relative risk of belonging to class 1, 1.29; adjusted relative risk of belonging to class 4, 2.45).

"Our findings underscore the importance of considering OA in the broader context of multimorbidity management and health care planning," the authors write. "From a policy perspective, the study could inform the development of targeted interventions to manage and potentially slow down the progression of multimorbidity in individuals with OA."

One author disclosed ties to the health care science and technology industry.

Abstract/Full Text