GENERALIZED OSTEOARTHRITIS PROTECTING AGAINST OSTEOPOROTIC FRACTURES - REVIEW OF THE EVIDENCE

Although both common age-related disorders, primary osteoarthritis and primary osteoporosis, and, in particular, fractures and osteoarthriti s of the hip, rarely coexist. Recent evidence supports the hypothesis that both quantitative and qualitative differences in bone may explain the inverse relationship between osteoarthritis and osteoporosis. Amo ng other factors, elevated bone content of growth factors may contribu te to both the increased bone density and the decreased occurrence of osteoporotic fractures associated with osteoarthritis. While providing protection against osteoporosis, these changes may predispose to arti cular cartilage loss. It is possible that the increase in growth facto r levels in osteoarthritic bone might be related to some extent to oes trogen and growth hormone IGF-I-excess. However, the mechanisms underl ying the association between osteoblastic synthesis of growth factors and osteoarthritis remain to be elucidated.