Knee Osteoarthritis—How Close are We to Disease Modifying Treatment?

Dear Colleagues,

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a leading cause of disability worldwide. It is characterized by complex pathogenesis and damage to different components of the joint; cartilage, bone and related structures. OA may manifest with different localization but, until now, the approach in different forms of OA is standardized and not adapted to the different pathogenic mechanisms and phenotypes of the disease. At present, there is no approved disease-modifying drug for the treatment of OA. Therapeutic approaches directed towards specific underlying pathogenic process in OA or administration of a drug combination may slow the disease progression. A new personalized approach towards OA patients with different phenotypes, which aims to retard disease progression, i.e., to possess disease-modifying potential, is more than welcome. Knee OA is among the most common disease localizations. In a proportion of cases, knee OA is associated with obesity and metabolic syndrome. Increased risk of OA in obese patients was suggested to be not only a consequence of mechanical overload but also related to the effects of adipokines. The role of adipokines in knee OA remains to be elucidated. Obesity-associated knee OA is suggested to represent a distinct phenotype—the so-called metabolic knee OA. Personalized complex therapeutic strategy should be evaluated both in animal models of the disease and humans in order to approach effective disease-modifying treatment in OA.

Dr. Sevdalina Lambova
Dr. Erik Lubberts
Topic Editors