Study: Hysterectomy May Reduce Risk of Generalized Osteoarthritis

Women who have had a hysterectomy may have a reduced risk of developing generalized osteoarthritis, according to a study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Rheumatology.

In their analysis of 504 women who were admitted to the hospital for arthroplasty of either the knee or hip, researchers used radiography to gauge the presence of osteoarthritis in finger joints. The patients were divided into two groups with one having bilateral osteoarthritis and the other having generalized osteoarthritis.

"Hysterectomy was reported by 24.9 percent of the patients," wrote the researchers. "Bilateral osteoarthritis was present in 86.2 percent and generalized osteoarthritis was present in 33.3 percent of the patients."

"Hysterectomy was not associated with bilateral osteoarthritis but with a lower prevalence of generalized osteoarthritis," the researchers reported. "In contrast to earlier studies, our results suggest that hysterectomy might be a marker for a reduced risk for a generalized pattern of osteoarthritis."

Other sources: Scandinavian Journal of Rheumatology