New Delhi, March 5
The global number of cases of osteoarthritis, as well as the disability associated with the condition, have risen by more than 130 per cent over the past 3 decades among women who have gone through menopause, according to a study.
Deterioration and damage of joint cartilage lead to osteoarthritis. It is followed by bony remodelling, joint dysfunction, and chronic pain. In 2020 alone, an estimated 595 million people worldwide were living with the condition, comprising nearly 8 per cent of the world’s population, with postmenopausal women at heightened risk.
In 2021 there were 14,258,581 new cases of osteoarthritis; 278,568,950 existing cases; and 99,447,16 years of healthy life lost (DALYs), representing increases of 133 per cent, 140 per cent, and 142 per cent since 1990, respectively, showed the study, published in the open access journal BMJ Global Health.
One reason is that menopause leads to a decline in female hormones oestrogen levels, said a team of researchers from China. The lack of oestrogen affects skeletal health and also impacts the function and stability of the joint system, they explained. Excess weight accounted for 20 per cent of the total years lived with the resulting disability.
“The burden of [osteoarthritis] among postmenopausal women continues to escalate, highlighting its significant impact on [their] global health,” said the researchers from the Hangzhou Medical College and Zhejiang University in China.