Social Isolation and Asthma Significantly Increase Osteoarthritis Risk, New Study Finds

"Over two decades, asthma was associated with a 32% higher risk of osteoarthritis, with an increased likelihood of 21% for knee OA, 12% for hip OA, and 62% for hand OA," the researchers reported in Arthritis Research & Therapy. "The presence of social isolation and loneliness further intensified this risk. Notably, asthma emerged as a stronger predictor of OA compared to factors like alcohol consumption, smoking, and diet, highlighting the importance of a comprehensive approach to patient management."

Osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint condition, is a leading cause of disability worldwide, particularly affecting older adults. While traditional risk factors such as aging, obesity, and joint injuries are well-established, emerging research suggests that inflammatory conditions like asthma may also contribute to OA development.

Against the above background, Jian Zhou, Department of Orthopedics, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China, and colleagues prospectively examined the link between asthma and the risk of developing osteoarthritis across multiple sites, including overall OA, knee OA, hip OA, and hand OA. They specifically explored how social isolation and loneliness influenced this association. Additionally, they assessed the relative impact of asthma compared to lifestyle-related risk factors for OA.

For this purpose, the researchers conducted a prospective cohort study involving 448,920 participants from the UK Biobank who had no OA at baseline. Asthma status was determined based on diagnosis and self-reported history. The outcome measure included OA, specifically knee, hip, and hand OA, identified through hospital admission records. Two Cox regression models were constructed to evaluate the association between asthma and OA risk.

The study led to the following findings:

• Over a median follow-up of 12.5 years, 57,573 cases of incident osteoarthritis (OA) were recorded.
• Participants with asthma had a higher risk of OA than those without asthma, with hazard ratios (HRs) of 1.32 for overall OA, 1.21 for knee OA, 1.12 for hip OA, and 1.62 for hand OA.
• Social isolation and loneliness significantly influenced the association between asthma and OA.
• Asthma emerged as a stronger predictor of OA compared to lifestyle-related risk factors such as smoking, alcohol consumption, and diet.

"The study identified a significant link between asthma and an increased risk of osteoarthritis, including overall OA, knee OA, hip OA, and hand OA. This association was notably stronger among individuals with higher social isolation and loneliness levels," the researchers concluded.

Reference:

Wu, Z., Luo, X., Dou, P. et al. Asthma, social isolation and loneliness, and risk of incident osteoarthritis. Arthritis Res Ther 27, 29 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13075-025-03496-w