Osteoarthritis vs. rheumatoid arthritis

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Osteoarthritis vs. rheumatoid arthritis

Osteoarthritis is a gradual deterioration of cartilage that leads to overgrowth of bone often due to "wear and tear." Rheumatoid arthritis is the inflammation of a joint's connective tissues, such as the synovial membranes, which leads to the destruction of the joint's cartilage.

Review Date: 5/17/2012
Reviewed By: Harvey Simon, MD, Editor-in-Chief, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital.

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