Sun Bob H, Wu Christopher W, Kalunian Kenneth C
Center of Innovative Therapies, University of California at San Diego, 9320 Campus Point Drive, Suite 225, La Jolla, CA 92037-0943, USA.
Rheum Dis Clin North Am. 2007 Feb;33(1):135-48. doi: 10.1016/j.rdc.2006.12.003.
Osteoarthritis (OA) has been a frustrating disease for both the patient and the physician. Its current impact on society is tremendous and rivals that of ischemic heart disease in many regards. As the baby boomers reach late adulthood and the obesity epidemic rages on, OA will assume an even greater impact on society. The current OA armamentarium only reduces pain and perhaps improves function, but has no impact on the disease incidence or progression. Thus, the challenge for researchers to develop disease-modifying OA drugs becomes an issue of paramount importance. Several advances in the understanding of OA pathophysiology have provided a glimpse of optimism that disease modification is a real possibility.
骨关节炎（OA）对患者和医生来说都是一种令人沮丧的疾病。它目前对社会的影响巨大，在许多方面可与缺血性心脏病相匹敌。随着婴儿潮一代步入成年后期，肥胖流行态势愈演愈烈，骨关节炎对社会的影响将更加巨大。目前治疗骨关节炎的方法仅能减轻疼痛，或许还能改善功能，但对疾病的发病率或进展没有影响。因此，研发改变病情的骨关节炎药物对研究人员来说成为一个至关重要的问题。在骨关节炎病理生理学认识方面的几项进展让人看到了一丝乐观的曙光，即改变病情确实是有可能的。
