Osteoarthritis of the hands: epidemiology, risk factors, and modern diagnostics

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent rheumatic disease characterized by structural and functional joint abnormalities, leading to significant functional and quality of life impairment. Hand OA ranks second in prevalence after knee OA. This article reviews current data on the epidemiology and risk factors of hand OA, and highlights the new EULAR classification criteria, which incorporate radiographic features of generalized OA, involvement of interphalangeal joints, and OA of the first carpometacarpal joint in patients with pain, discomfort, and/or stiffness. The article also presents findings from the ISKRA study, which demonstrated the efficacy of a bioactive small marine fish concentrate in 2,776 patients with hand OA.