Skeletal palaeopathology and the rheumatic diseases: Where are we now?

Article Abstract:

Research into the occurrence of arthritis in past eras may lead to insight into the disease. Historical sources of data about arthritis include medical and nonmedical literature, art, and mummies and skeletons discovered during archeological investigations. Ten years of reports of information obtained from skeletal material by workers in the field of paleopathology are reviewed. Most researchers involved in the field are scientists and some are medically qualified, but few specialists such as rheumatologists or radiologists have participated. Joint disorders constitute the most frequent bony abnormality found, but diagnosis of specific problems is often difficult. In living people, rheumatic diseases result in bony changes which are usually easily characterized by rheumatologists. However, bone recovered by archeologists is often fragmented, and a system has been developed in which various observed bony abnormalities can be linked with the most common rheumatic diseases. Paleopathologists using this system have found many abnormalities not obvious to radiologists. Clear evidence of gout, osteoarthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and other rheumatic diseases has been found. However, determinations of cases of rheumatoid arthritis remain questionable. Reports suggest that diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis occurred with a prevalence similar to that of this era, while the incidence of osteoarthritis may have changed with the passage of time. Recent studies of excavated bone have looked at the process of disease development, particularly in terms of changes in bony structure and molecules, by studying DNA, proteins, and crystals extracted from bone. Future research in these areas may provide interesting insights in the processes underlying rheumatic diseases. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Research, History, Rheumatic diseases, Paleopathology, editorial

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The shape of the distal femur: a palaeopathological comparison of eburnated and non-eburnated femora

Article Abstract:

The shape of the end of the femur at the knee may influence the development and progression of osteoarthritis. Researchers photographed 68 femurs from a large collection of pathology samples, then identified 12 anatomical landmarks on the knee ends of the bones. Sixteen femurs were eburnated, or worn of cartilage. All femurs with worn cartilage had bony outgrowths called osteophytes. Eburnated femurs had wider condyles, probably caused by bone remodeling in the presence of arthritis. The patellar groove was shallower and wider in eburnated femurs. Some of these characteristics may result from osteoarthritis, while others may increase the risk of the disease.

United Kingdom, Physiological aspects, Osteoarthritis, Knee, Femur

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Bone formers: osteophyte and enthesophyte for formation are positively associated

Article Abstract:

Some people may be prone to osteophyte and enthesophyte formation. Osteophyte formation is new bone growth at joint margins and enthesophyte formation is bony growths at ligament and tendon insertion points. Visual examination of 337 adult skeletons revealed that skeletons with osteophyte formation margins were also likely to have enthesophyte formations. The tendency to enthesophyte formation was more common in men and increased with age. This suggests that certain individuals tend to form bone in response to stress on the skeleton and aging and that X rays may readily identify them.

Bones, Complications and side effects, Growth, Arthritis, Bone development

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