Osteoarthritis Comorbidities and Cardiovascular Health

Osteoarthritis is a prevalent degenerative joint disorder characterised by cartilage erosion, subchondral bone remodelling and synovial inflammation. Beyond pain and functional impairment, people with osteoarthritis exhibit a heightened burden of systemic conditions, notably cardiovascular disease. Epidemiological studies consistently report increased incidence of myocardial infarction, stroke and heart failure among osteoarthritis populations, with risk estimates indicating up to a 24 % elevation compared with peers without joint disease. Shared mechanisms include low‐grade chronic inflammation, metabolic dysregulation, reduced physical activity and common genetic predispositions. Biomechanical limitations may further compound cardiovascular risk by promoting sedentary behaviour and adverse body composition. Recognising these interconnections is critical for holistic patient management, as early identification of cardiovascular comorbidities can guide lifestyle interventions, optimise pharmacotherapy and reduce morbidity. Globally, an ageing population and rising obesity rates underscore the public health importance of integrated care pathways that address both musculoskeletal and cardiometabolic health in osteoarthritis cohorts.

Research from Nature Portfolio

A recent genetic analysis has demonstrated that osteoarthritis and cardiovascular disease share heritable risk factors independent of age, body mass index and lifestyle exposures, suggesting overlapping molecular pathways rather than a unidirectional causal effect of joint degeneration on cardiovascular events. This work challenges conventional diagnostic boundaries and points towards a precision-medicine approach in which genetic profiling could identify individuals at dual risk. An earlier meta-analysis of observational studies aggregated data from over 350 000 participants, revealing that osteoarthritis confers a 24 % increased relative risk of cardiovascular outcomes. The robustness of this finding across diverse cohorts reinforces the need for cardiovascular screening in routine osteoarthritis assessment and supports guideline recommendations for multidisciplinary management.

Osteoarthritis Comorbidities and Cardiovascular Health publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in osteoarthritis comorbidities and cardiovascular health across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Osteoarthritis: A degenerative joint disease involving cartilage breakdown, bone remodelling and inflammation.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD): A group of disorders affecting the heart and blood vessels, including heart attack and stroke.

Comorbidity: The simultaneous presence of two or more medical conditions in an individual.

Hazard ratio (HR): A measure of how often a particular event happens in one group compared with another over time.

MAPK signalling pathway: A cascade of kinases that transmits extracellular signals to regulate inflammation, proliferation and cell survival.

References

1. Shared genetic factors between osteoarthritis and cardiovascular disease may underlie common etiology. Nature Communications (2024).
2. Osteoarthritis and the risk of cardiovascular disease: a meta-analysis of observational studies. Scientific Reports (2016).
3. Systems biology-based analysis exploring shared biomarkers and pathogenesis of myocardial infarction combined with osteoarthritis. Frontiers in Immunology (2024).
4. Comorbidity in incident osteoarthritis cases and matched controls using electronic health record data. Arthritis Research & Therapy (2023).
5. Temporal relationship between osteoarthritis and comorbidities: a combined case control and cohort study in the UK primary care setting. Rheumatology (2021).