Osteoarthritis and Gender: From Pathogenetic Factors to Therapeutic Intervention

Dear Colleagues,

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a highly common condition worldwide and one of the leading causes of disability in the elderly. The etiopathogenesis of the disease is complex and not fully understood; multiple risk factors have been identified, including biological sex. Epidemiological studies have shown that there are significant sex differences in both the prevalence and clinical manifestation of OA. Women are more likely than men to develop hand, knee and hip OA and experience greater disease severity, with the involvement of multiple joints. In addition, the risk of developing the disease rises significantly after menopause, suggesting the role of sexual hormones in the pathophysiology of OA. However, little is known about the mechanisms that contribute to differences in incidence and severity of the disease between men and women. There is a lack of investigations on the possible genetic and epigenetic factors or molecular pathways that can explain the role of sex/gender in the pathogenesis and clinical manifestations of OA. Further insights into this topic could also help to the develop specific gender-personalized treatments.

The aim of this Special Issue will be to address the molecular pathways implicated in sex- and gender-related disparities of OA. This information will allow us to better understand the physiopathology of the disease and can lead to the development of more specific diagnostic approaches and gender-personalized therapy protocols for patients.

For this topic, original research articles, review articles, meta-analyses and systematic reviews are welcome.

Dr. Antonella Fioravanti
Guest Editor

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• osteoarthritis
• gender
• sex
• men
• women
• males
• females
• hormones
• molecular mechanisms
• genetic
• epigenetic
• preclinical models
• in vitro study
• animal models