HYPOTHESIS - THE INFLUENCE OF SEX IN ARTHRITIS - IS CARTILAGE AN OVERLOOKED FACTOR

Sex emerges as a predominant risk and prognostic factor from epidemiol ogical studies in a variety of rheumatic diseases. Investigations into the underlying mechanisms stress sex related differences in immune an d inflammatory responses. Cartilage destruction is an essential featur e of most arthropathies and plays an essential role in the symptomatol ogy and progression of arthritis. Based on published evidence and rece nt experimental observations, we explore the possibility that sex diff erences in articular cartilage may be an important, though unrecognize d, factor in the effects of sex and related hormones in the progressio n of articular disease.