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osteoarthritis
(os″te-o-ahr-thri´tis)
a noninflammatory degenerative type of arthritis marked by degeneration of the articular cartilage, overgrowth of bone at the margins, and changes in the synovial membrane. Symptoms vary from mild to severe; there may be restriction of movement, but it is usually not as severe as that seen in
rheumatoid arthritis. Primary osteoarthritis, as part of the normal aging process, is most likely to strike the joints that receive the most use or stress over the years, such as the knees, the joints of the big toes, and those of the lower part of the vertebral column. Another common form of osteoarthritis affects the distal joints of the fingers and usually occurs in women. Called also degenerative joint disease.
Copyright 2007. An Elsevier publication. All rights reserved.
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