The relation of symptoms to osteoarthritis

1. 1. Morning stiffness and x-ray evidence of osteoarthritis do not show evidence of association in this population study. 2. 2. Only about 30 per cent of persons with radiologtic evidence of de generative changes in their joints complained of pain at the relevant sites. 3. 3. Pain and swelling in osteoarthritic joints are seldom found wdithout morning stiffness. The exception to this course is found in the acute Heberden's node. It should b e remembered in this connection that one inquiry about morning stiffness is often insufficient to pick up this manifestation. 4. 4. Persons with x-ray evidence of osteoarthritis but no morning stiffness have only a small chance of having pain at the relevant sites. 5. 5. The importance of distinguishing symptomatic and asymptomatic oesteoarthritis has been emphasized and the difference in symptom pattern between those with morning stiffness and the relatively few without it has been presented. 6. 6. The possibility that most of the symptoms of “osteoarthritis” are at least in part due to a rheumatoid component has been discussed.