EPIDEMIOLOGY OF KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS AMONG RURAL RESIDENTS OF YAKUTIA

Knee osteoarthritis is one of the most common rheumatologic problems. A population study was performed to study the epidemiology of osteoarthritis of the knee joints (gonarthrosis) among the rural indigenous people of Yakutia. Material and methods: we performed a population study of the adult indigenous population (Yakuts) of 7 villages in central Yakutia. A total of 3.401 people took part in the screening study. The diagnosis of gonarthrosis was made using Altman et al. criteria (1991). Results: the prevalence of gonarthrosis among the rural population of Yakutia was 12.8% (95% CI: 11.7-14.0) and depended on the age of the examined. Knee osteoarthritis was 2 times more often observed in women. Prevalence rates were 16.9% (95% CI: 15.3-18.7) in women and 7.8% (95% CI: 6.6-9.3) in men, respectively. The mean age of patients with gonarthrosis among the rural population was 56 years. Mechanical overload of the joint in the cold was proved to be the main risk factor for knee osteoarthritis for the rural population. Conclusions: the high prevalence of gonarthrosis among the indigenous rural residents of Yakutia is due to the features of the population life in the region with extreme climate.