Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Disclaimer
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Breedveld, F. C.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Breedveld, F. C.
Related Collections
Right arrow Osteoarthritis and Cartilage
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

Rheumatology 2004; 43: I4-I8
Rheumatology Vol. 43 Suppl. 1 © British Society for Rheumatology 2004; all rights reserved

Supplement Article

Osteoarthritis—the impact of a serious disease

F. C. Breedveld

Departments of Rheumatology and Medicine, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands.

Correspondence to: F. C. Breedveld, Departments of Rheumatology and Medicine, Leiden University Medical Centre, Albinusdreef 2, C4-R, Postbox 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands. E-mail: f.c.breedveld{at}lumc.nl

Abstract

Osteoarthritis (OA) is common in the elderly, but also affects younger people. The disease symptoms are debilitating and, as well as causing physical impairment, can affect the psychosocial wellbeing of the patient. Furthermore, the impact of this disease is substantially increased by the common occurrence of comorbid conditions, such as hypertension and renal impairment. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are commonly used to treat the symptoms of OA, but their related gastrointestinal side-effects increase the impact of this disease. Gastrointestinal tolerability should therefore be considered in the design of new therapies that reduce the symptoms and activity of OA. Furthermore, because this disease is associated with comorbid conditions, patient safety must also be considered when designing new therapies.

KEY WORDS: Selective COX-2 inhibitors, NSAIDs, Osteoarthritis, Comedication, Comorbidity.


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?




Disclaimer:
Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.