Definition of "osteoarthritis" []

• A form of arthritis, occurring mainly in older persons, that is characterized by chronic degeneration of the cartilage of the joints. Also called degenerative joint disease. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "'We found that the more vitamin C given, the more osteoarthritis is apparent in the joints of these animals that are predisposed to getting osteoarthritis.'"
• "The Company believes that an early and successful treatment of traumatized articular cartilage may prevent or postpone the onset of long-term osteoarthritis, and consequently reduce the number of radical knee joint replacement surgeries performed each year."
• "Existing osteoporosis drug may keep joint injuries from causing long-term osteoarthritis WASHINGTON - Preliminary findings of a study suggest that an existing osteoporosis drug can prevent cartilage loss from osteoarthritis following injury to a joint, and also regenerate some cartilage that has been lost."