Which statement is true about osteoarthritis pathology?

• A. Osteophyte formation occurs
• B. Inflammation is primary process
• C. Cartilage regeneration predominates
• D. Swelling is symmetric with prolonged morning stiffness

Answer: (A)

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease where wear and tear lead to breakdown of articular cartilage and changes in the joint surfaces. A key feature is osteophyte formation, or bone spurs, at the margins of the joint. These outgrowths arise as part of a repair response to cartilage loss and are a classic, visible marker of OA. They reflect structural adaptation to damage rather than active inflammation.

Inflammation can be present in OA, but it isn’t the primary process driving the disease—that distinction is what sets OA apart from inflammatory arthritides. Cartilage regeneration does not predominate in OA; articular cartilage has limited capacity to regenerate, so damage accumulates rather than being effectively repaired. Swelling and joint stiffness in OA tend to be limited and uneven, with morning stiffness usually short in duration, unlike the prolonged, symmetric swelling and stiffness seen in inflammatory conditions.

So the statement that osteophyte formation occurs captures the characteristic repair-related bone changes at the joint margins seen in osteoarthritis.