A new delineation of the congeries of osteoarthritis.

New concepts of osteoarthritis (OA) are reviewed as preliminary to establishing a new classification of OA, defining sub-groups of OA based on combined biochemical and clinical data. The biochemical data are derived from assays of serum proteins--transferrin, ceruloplasmin, albumin, a1-acid glycoprotein, a1-antitrypsin, immunoglobulins A, G, and M. Standard clinical techniques are followed to provide clinical data, including medical history, physical examination, x-ray studies and routine biochemical tests. Genetic polymorphism is proposed as an explanation for subsets of OA. Extensive family history data is important in establishing connections.