World Arthritis Day: Arthritis on the Rise in India

The prevalence of arthritis is on the rise in India. Over 180 million people suffer from arthritis in India, according to a recent survey by SRL Diagnostics, a leading diagnostic chain. // Arthritis is a bone-degenerative condition in which the protective tissue on top of the joints gets damaged. The causes of arthritis can be due to age-related wear and tear, chronic infection, severe injury, and nutrient deficiency.

Arthritis in India

The data is based on 6.4 million samples received for arthritis testing over the last 3.5 years since January 2017 at SRL Laboratories across the country. The levels of Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR), C-reactive Protein (CRP), Rheumatoid Factor (RF) and Uric Acid (UA) were analyzed.

The findings showed that women had higher levels of Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) at 52.07% and Rheumatoid Factor at 13.08% than men.

By 2025, India is likely to become the Osteoarthritis capital, if the current rise in incidents continue, said, Avinash Phadke, President -Technology and Mentor (Clinical Pathology), SRL Diagnostics.

The rise in arthritis in India is due to lack of physical activity, sedentary lifestyle, and rise in prevalence of obesity. Studies have shown that 45% of women over the age of 65 years have symptoms of arthritis. Women are four times more frequently affected than men.

Osteoarthritis is the most prevalent form of arthritis affecting 15 million adults every year. The prevalence of osteoarthritis in India is between 22 to 39 percent. Other joint conditions that affect Indians are gout and rheumatoid arthritis.

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Gout is three to four times more common in men and people who are obese aged 50 years or above. ESR, CRP, RF and UA levels were higher among people in their forties. ESR and CRP levels were high in patients with arthritis, indicating persistent inflammation of joints, were commonly found in the East zone, followed by the North zone. High uric acid levels which indicate Gout was more common in the North zone followed by the East zone.

"Early signs should not be ignored; early diagnosis and treatment can save the joints. Maintaining joint health lifelong should be a goal of everyone's life," said Phadke.

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Source-Medindia