Epidemiology of osteoarthritis: current concepts and new insights.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common of the arthropathies. Previous epidemiologic studies have described the prevalence of OA by age, gender and site in many populations. Cross sectional and retrospective data from these prevalence surveys have been analyzed to identify possible risk factors for the development of OA. Data from prospective epidemiologic studies including the Framingham Study, Tecumseh Community Health Study, and the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging are being analyzed to estimate the incidence of OA by age, gender and site, and confirm the association of risk factors with the development and progression of OA. Results of these studies provide potential opportunities for the primary and secondary prevention of OA.