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ABOUT ARTHRITIS

• Arthritis refers to joint inflammation from

a number of causes. The term is used to 

describe more than 100 rheumatic diseases 

and conditions that affect joints, the 

tissues that surround the joint, and other 

connective tissue.

• Typically, pain and stiffness in and

around one of the joints characterize 

rheumatic conditions. The symptoms can 

develop gradually or suddenly. Certain 

rheumatic conditions can also involve 

the immune system and various internal 

organs of the body.

• Osteoarthritis, or degenerative joint

disease, is the most common form 

of arthritis, affecting up to 27 million 

Americans.

• Rheumatoid arthritis affects about 1.3

million Americans. In this disease, the 

body’s immune system attacks its own joint 

tissue, causing inflammation. It can result in 

the destruction of cartilage and bone.

VA RESEARCH ON ARTHRITIS: 

OVERVIEW

• VA researchers are developing new

clinical treatments that reduce Veterans’ 

disabilities and improve the ability of VA 

clinicians to provide effective care for 

patients with arthritis.

• Some groups are identifying molecular

mechanisms that affect skeletal health 

and can lead to new treatments for 

osteoarthritis. Others are using innovative 

techniques to design therapeutic 

interventions, from surgical techniques to 

physical therapy, for patients who have lost 

mobility or functioning. Still others hope to 

halt the progression of osteoarthritis, and 

to reverse the degeneration of cartilage 

associated with the disease.

• VA studies are exploring less expensive

drug treatments for arthritis. Others are 

examining possible causes of arthritis, such 

as immune system changes and a possible 

link to PTSD.

• VA researchers are exploring

complementary and integrative 

treatments, including nutritional 

supplements, massage, and activity 

pacing, to manage pain caused by 

arthritis.

SELECTED MILESTONES AND 

MA JOR EVENTS 

2002 – Established the Rheumatoid 

Arthritis Registry, providing researchers 

with access to information about hundreds 

of male patients with rheumatoid arthritis

2006 – Found little overall benefit in two 

widely used nutritional supplements for 

arthritis (glucosamine and chondroitin 

sulfate)

2011 – Learned that the complement 

system, a group of proteins that move 

freely through the blood stream, plays an 

important role in the development and 

spread of osteoarthritis

2014 – Received the Lee C. Howley Sr. 

Prize for Arthritis Scientific Research (VA 

Boston Health Care System and others) 

for determining that less expensive antirheumatic drugs worked as well as newer, 

more expensive, biological treatments

2014 – Tested an anti-inflammatory drug 

on mice that may someday have the effect 

of reversing bone loss in patients with RA

RECENT STUDIES: SELECTED 

HIGHLIGHTS

• Group and individual physical therapy

are equally effective for patients with 

knee osteoarthritis, found a study 

conducted at the Durham VA Medical 

Center in North Carolina. The researchers 

say both approaches are reasonable 

VA research on 

ARTHRITIS

Arthritis affects 53.5 million American adults, one in every 

five. According to the Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention, it is the nation’s most common cause of disability.

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Photo: ©iStock/Ocskay Bence
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Bird & Flags

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Arthritis refers to joint inflammation from a number 

of causes. The term is used to describe more than 100 

rheumatic diseases and conditions that affect joints, the 

tissues that surround the joint, and other connective tissue.

treatment options, and the group 

setting may have extra benefits such as 

cost-effectiveness and social support. 

(Physical Therapy, May 2016)

• Men with rheumatoid arthritis

showed higher rates of mortality than 

age-matched men without the disease, 

according to researchers from multiple 

VA health care systems. These men had 

a three-fold risk of respiratory-related 

deaths compared to men without 

rheumatoid arthritis. (Arthritis Care & 

Research, Dec. 21, 2015)

• Swedish massage may be effective

for reducing pain in patients with knee 

osteoarthritis, according to investigators 

with the Durham VA Medical Center 

and their colleagues. Their pilot study 

showed that Swedish massage is a 

feasible and acceptable treatment for 

VA health care users, and they suggest 

a larger, randomized trial to further 

explore its possible benefits. (Journal of 

Alternative and Complementary Medicine,

June 1, 2015)

• Trauma exposure and PTSD may

increase the risk of autoimmune 

disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, 

according to researchers at the San 

Francisco VA Medical Center. PTSD 

is associated with endocrine and 

immune abnormalities, and this study 

showed that Veterans with PTSD were 

at a significantly higher relative risk 

than Veterans without the condition. 

(Biological Psychiatry, Feb. 15, 2015)

• An anti-inflammatory drug that

blocks a specific receptor of T cells 

may halt or even reverse bone loss 

related to rheumatoid arthritis. This 

Atlanta VA Medical Center study found 

that the tested drug promoted bone 

formation and density in mice. (Arthritis 

& Rheumatology, April 1, 2014)

• Ann Arbor VA researchers are

conducting a trial that tests activity 

pacing in people with osteoarthritis, 

with funding from the National 

Institutes of Health. Activity pacing is 

a strategy that involves planning rest 

breaks during the day, which helps to 

avoid arthritis flare-ups. A pilot study 

has indicated that tailored activity 

pacing reduces fatigue and makes daily 

activity easier. (National Institutes of 

Health)

• Less expensive combinations of

disease-modifying anti-rheumatic 

drugs produce the same clinical 

benefits for patients with rheumatoid 

arthritis as much more expensive 

biological treatment in a study 

conducted by the Omaha VA Medical 

Center and the University of Nebraska. 

The study included 353 patients at 16 VA 

medical centers, 12 rheumatoid arthritis 

investigational network sites, and eight 

Canadian medical centers. (New England 

Journal of Medicine, July 25, 2013)

For more information on VA studies 

on arthritis and other key topics 

relating to Veterans’ health, please 

visit www.research.va.gov/topics

ARTHRITIS

Updated September 2016 • For a digital version of this fact sheet with active links to sources, visit www.research.va.gov/topics