Blood homeostasis, inflammation, osteoarthrits.

jooms

Reading up recent research there seems to be a connection between osteoarthritis and inflammatory products.
In other research there are connections between low blood iron and inflammation.
Is there anyone out there who has low levels of iron with osteoarthritis?

dreamdaisy

Low iron is a common problem on here. For the auto-immuners it is picked up via the frequent blood tests, for the OA-ers tiredness is the usual first indicator. It's easily remedied by increasing iron in the diet, watercress is my preference as that aids easing my constipation. I aovoid nuts as they can trigger a tight chest (I am asthmatic and have trouble, despite the inhalers, with some forms of nuttage).

I am not sure what you mean by inflammatory products, could you clarify? DD

stickywicket

Hi jooms but sorry, I don't understand what you're asking.

I don't know what an 'inflammatory product' is.

I've not heard of osteo causing low iron levels. I have a constant battle with my own due to both RA and the meds taken for it.

Could you give a link to the two pieces of research, please?

jooms

Osteoarthritis is an inflammatory disease. Products of synovial inflammation include cytokines which further degenerate cartilage as well as affecting iron levels in blood. Does this fit with the current biomedical science?

stickywicket

There is localised inflammation with osteo but the inflammation isn't throughout the body as it is with autoimmune / inflammatory forms of arthritis.

jooms

stickywicket wrote:

There is localised inflammation with osteo but the inflammation isn't throughout the body as it is with autoimmune / inflammatory forms of arthritis.

Inflammation in osteoarthritis has been underestimated.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3638313/

jooms

stickywicket wrote:

There is localised inflammation with osteo but the inflammation isn't throughout the body as it is with autoimmune / inflammatory forms of arthritis.

Inflammation in osteoarthritis has been underestimated.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3638313/

stickywicket

I have tried, and failed, to understand this, jooms. I do know that there is a type of OA known as 'inflammatory OA' and that, almost 20 years ago (I think) a rheumatologist in Leeds conducted some research into treating OA of the knee with small doses of DMARDS (which are used for autoimmune types of arthritis). I've yet to see any results of this trial. I personally believe that, just as arthritis used to be classified simply as OA or RA, ignoring all the other autoimmune types, one day they'll realise that OA, too, consists of several different problems. But I doubt that will happen anytime soon. I was told, when first diagnosed with RA, some 58 years ago that a cure was 'just around the corner'. I think he meant the corner of the universe :roll:

Jackie47

I have both types RA and OA but my blood results have never shown low levels of iron. I wonder if anyone that only has OA have above normal CRP levels as say against raised levels in inflammatory arthritis eg RA? I always thought that OA was wear and tear and RA and others were auto immune diseases. Now confused !

crinkly1

SW and Jackie are correct in saying there's a lot of confusion around the nature of OA in its different guises with research on-going.

It's been known for a long time that OA is an inflammatory condition in which the body's normal system of renewing damaged cartilage doesn't work. Instead of being repaired those tissues continue to degenerate along with development of 'protective' bony spurs/nodules and calcific deposits in soft tissues around the affected joints.

The research into the use of DMARDS mentioned by SW showed 'disappointing results' so was discontinued in favour of efforts to find an effective ODMARD. That is showing promising laboratory results but hasn't reached the human trial stage yet.
(You can find reports of this research via VA.)

There's no chance that damage already caused will be reversible but it is hoped that further degeneration can be prevented and the disease can be stopped at an early stage, which will be brilliant. It has the potential to reduce massively the most common disabling condition in the world, saving huge loss of working hours, the need for pain relief and joint replacement surgery.

Like research into forms of auto-immune arthritis there's no knowing how long this will take but what a great future prospect!

It will also be a relief to those of us who have OA alone, not to be continuously told that our difficulties are due to 'wear and tear caused by lifestyle choices'. While injury can be a trigger in those with a predisposition (possibly genetic) for the condition, to be told your pain is, in effect, your own fault is demeaning and depressing.

jooms

So if osteoarthritis is regarded as a cause of inflammation then could one assume that constant low grade inflammation adversely affects iron homeostasis of the blood?


And is not inflammation a cause cartilage of cartilage catabolism?
https://www.nature.com/articles/nrrheum.2010.196

stickywicket

Jooms, I really don't think any of us on here have any medical training so we can't properly understand all the medical terminolgy.

I hope researchers will eventually get to the bottom of it all but, when they do, it's unlikely to be of value to those of us who have had it for years as damage done is damage done and irreversible.

Versus Arthritis does help with research.

jooms

There is research that indicates osteoarthritis involves inflammatory responses that further break down cartilage. Unfortunately, it is the time between research and development that is slow and disadvantageous.

The long-term and low-grade inflammation in osteoarthritis, probably manifested in pain, has also to be causing some other physiological problems? Anaemia of inflammation occurs in RA but can it definitely be discounted in OA?