Osteoarthritis patients are not all cast in the same mould: genetic associations of knee and hip osteoarthritis differ between patients who have undergone joint replacement and patients who have not

Purpose: The role of genetics in osteoarthritis (OA) is well-established, and >100 genetic risk variants have been identified in genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Despite the heterogeneous nature of the disease, with symptoms varying from mild joint pain or stiffness to severe pain and disability, it is unclear whether genetic factors determine disease severity—and ultimately, the need for joint replacement. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether genetic associations for knee and hip OA differ between patients treated with and without joint replacement, respectively.