Which statement correctly distinguishes OA from RA as described?

Which statement correctly distinguishes OA from RA as described?

• A. OA involves wearing down of cartilage elements of joints; RA is autoimmune that attacks joints
• B. OA is always inflammatory; RA is non-inflammatory
• C. OA affects only the hands; RA affects only the knees
• D. OA is curable; RA is not

Answer: (D)

Understanding how OA and RA differ comes down to what's driving the joint problems. Osteoarthritis is a degenerative process caused by wear and tear that leads to cartilage breakdown and changes in the bone around a joint. Rheumatoid arthritis, on the other hand, is an autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks the joint lining, causing inflammatory synovitis that often involves many joints in a symmetric pattern and can have systemic effects. Because of that, the statement that best distinguishes them is that OA involves wear-down of cartilage, while RA is an autoimmune attack on the joints. The other ideas aren’t accurate: OA isn’t always inflammatory, RA is inflammatory; OA can affect many joints beyond just the hands, and RA can affect more than just the knees. Also, neither condition is truly curable with current treatments—therapies focus on symptom control and slowing progression, with RA sometimes achieving remission under disease-modifying therapies.

Understanding how OA and RA differ comes down to what's driving the joint problems. Osteoarthritis is a degenerative process caused by wear and tear that leads to cartilage breakdown and changes in the bone around a joint. Rheumatoid arthritis, on the other hand, is an autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks the joint lining, causing inflammatory synovitis that often involves many joints in a symmetric pattern and can have systemic effects.

Because of that, the statement that best distinguishes them is that OA involves wear-down of cartilage, while RA is an autoimmune attack on the joints. The other ideas aren’t accurate: OA isn’t always inflammatory, RA is inflammatory; OA can affect many joints beyond just the hands, and RA can affect more than just the knees. Also, neither condition is truly curable with current treatments—therapies focus on symptom control and slowing progression, with RA sometimes achieving remission under disease-modifying therapies.