Time magazine proclaims The Age of Arthritis

[Guest guest]

Dec 20, 2002

MediaFlare

Time magazine proclaims " The Age of Arthritis "

New York, NY - Time magazine warns we are headed for an " epidemic " of joint

disease in the near future. The cover story of the December 9, 2002 issue is

huge spread entitled the " Age of Arthritis [1]. " According to writers

Gorman and Alice Park, virtually everyone will have a touch or a

twinge of aches and pains in their joints by the time they reach their fifth

decade.

Most will have osteoarthritis, the most common form of about 100 types of

arthritis. Doctors used to think of it as a disease of old age, but they now

believe that osteoarthritis " begins its relentless, initially painless

course when you're still in your 30s, 20s, or even younger, " Gorman and Park

write.

Pushing this epidemic are, of course, the baby boomers, who are reaching

their 50s, " prime time for arthritis. " At the present time, osteoarthritis

affects more than 20 million Americans, and by 2020 that number is expected

to reach 40 million. Gorman and Park cite a nationwide survey from the

Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, which measured the burden of

arthritis and chronic joint symptoms in America and came to the " sobering "

conclusion that one third of all American adults suffer from some type of

joint disease.

Chalk one more trend up to the boomers

The surge in joint disease is inevitable, given the boomers' propensity for

jogging, high-impact aerobics, and sports like football, soccer, tennis, and

basketball, all of which can wreak havoc on knees and hips. Generation Xers

are not immune eitherthey will suffer arthritic thumbs, due to their love of

video games. And let's not forget the increasing numbers of Americans who

are overweight and who are thereby " squeezing the life out of their joints, "

say Gorman and Park.

The article discusses the latest thoughts about the etiology of

osteoarthritis and points out that while there are not likely to be any

" quick fixes " for the disease, newer knowledge and insights into the disease

process will lead to more effective treatments and even strategies to thwart

osteoarthritis before it begins. " Ultimately, we think it's the biochemical

approach that's going to solve the riddle of arthritis. Someday you may pop

a pill and your cartilage will continue to grow, but that's 10 years awayat

least, " Time quotes Dr Sheinkop (Rush-Presbyterian St Luke's

Medical Center, Chicago) as saying.

" Someday you may pop a pill and your cartilage will continue to grow, but

that's 10 years awayat least. "

Gorman and Park also tell their readers that cartilage may not be the same

throughout the body. They quote Dr Roland Moskowitz, president of the

Osteoarthritis Research Society International: " It appears that not all

cartilage is created equal. " Ankles are more resistant to osteoarthritis

than are hips and knees; wrists are less prone to osteoarthritis than the

joint at the base of the thumb. This evidence, although preliminary,

suggests that ankles may have a biochemical advantage that protects their

cartilage from breaking down, the authors say.

A second article in the series discusses rheumatoid arthritis, which writer

Bjerklie dubs " the other crippling joint disease [2]. " In some cases,

rheumatoid arthritis can " hit as fast and hard as a freight train, " Bjerklie

writes, quoting Dr Stanley Cohen of the St Medical Center in Dallas:

" People who are jogging 1 day can't get out of bed 2 weeks later. " While a

diagnosis of RA meant life in a wheelchair as recently as the 1950s, the

current outlook for people with this disease has improved dramatically,

especially " if we treat early and we treat aggressively, " as Bjerklie quotes

Cohen. Methotrexate, augmented by other, recently developed " biologics " such

as etanercept (Enbrel®, Amgen and Wyeth Pharmaceuticals), infliximab

(Remicade®, Centocor), and anakinra (KineretTM, Amgen), which are

genetically engineered versions of naturally occurring molecules that block

cytokine activity, Bjerklie writes.

" People who are jogging 1 day can't get out of bed 2 weeks later. "

A third article in the series tells readers different ways they can find

relief from their aches and pains [3]. About 15% of patients with

osteoarthritis will find relief with over-the-counter pain killers like

acetaminophen, and others will be helped with anti-inflammatories such as

aspirin and ibuprofen or newer drugs, such as COX-2 inhibitors rofecoxib

(Vioxx®, Merck) and celecoxib (Celebrex®, Pharmacia and Pfizer), which are

" safer but no substitute for some of the long-term changes you may need to

make, " write Gorman and Park.

They add that some researchers believe that there has been too much emphasis

on drug treatments for osteoarthritis. One is Dr Brandt, (Indiana

University, Indianapolis), who is quoted as saying " It's clear that there

are other things that can improve symptoms as much as pills. "

" No single approach works best for everyone. "

Brandt doesn't discourage the use of pills but insists they are more

effective when combined with lifestyle changes. " Losing as little as 10 lbs

can make a difference . . . as can strengthening the muscles that surround a

joint. Certain exercises, such as tracing circles in the air with the arms,

have also proved helpful at keeping the joints from stiffening and losing

mobility, " write Gorman and Park, who also discuss joint replacement

surgery.

They conclude: " No single approach works best for everyone. As researchers

learn more about what triggers osteoarthritis, they're bound to come up with

more effective treatments. As with any chronic condition, there are always

some things you can't control. But there's still a lot you can do for

yourself. So pay attention to those twinges. Someday, you'll be glad you

did. "

Fran Lowry

Sources

1. Gorman C and Park A. The age of arthritis. Time December 9, 2002.

Available at: http://www.time.com/time/covers/1101021209/story.html.

2. Bjerklie D. Rheumatoid arthritis: the other crippling joint disease. Time

December 9, 2002. Available at:

http://www.time.com/time/covers/1101021209/rheumatoid.html.

3. Park A. What you can do. Time December 9, 2002. Available at:

http://www.time.com/time/covers/1101021209/treatments.html.