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Prevalence of large-joint osteoarthritis in Asian and Caucasian skeletal populations
K Inoue1, S Hukuda, P Fardellon
1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan.
Objective:
To determine ethnic variations of large-joint osteoarthritis (OA) in past populations.
Methods:
One thousand two hundred and nine adult skeletons, excavated from archaeological sites in Japan, China and France were assessed for OA as defined by the presence of eburnation.
Results:
Within Asian skeletal populations, elbow OA and patellofemoral joint OA were more common in hunter-gatherers than in agriculturalists. Compared with Caucasians, the Asian skeletal population had a higher prevalence of tibiofemoral joint OA.
Conclusion:
The relative frequencies of OA within and between ethnic groups at certain joint sites have changed over time from the past to the present.