In the first episode of the Joint Space podcast, University of Arizona Arthritis Center Director C. Kent Kwoh, MD, MACR, delivers a master class on everything you need to know about joint health and managing joint pain. One of the most highly regarded and respected rheumatologists in the world, Dr. Kwoh is internationally recognized for his research on novel imaging biomarkers of knee osteoarthritis. He has been awarded nearly $11 million in research funding from the National Institutes of Health during his tenure at the University of Arizona and $75 million during his career. He has authored over 300 peer reviewed publications during his 40-year tenure as a rheumatologist, and was named a Master of the American College of Rheumatology in 2023.

Show highlights:

(00:00) Intro

(03:41) What does it take to be named Master of the American College of Rheumatology?

(04:56) What is a joint in the body?

(08:27) What causes osteoarthritis (OA)?

(10:53) What are the most common forms of arthritis?

(12:46) Is gout as common in women as it is in men?

(13:22) How significant is the genetic component in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), gout, and OA?

(15:45) What generates pain in arthritis?

(19:26) How are these conditions diagnosed?

(23:39) What are the different levels of pain management treatment for OA?

(27:13) What can you tell us about stem cell and PRP treatment for OA?

(31:04) Is this a new era in treatment for RA?

(33:53) Is remission possible for a patient with RA?

(36:17) Where is the treatment for gout today?

(37:12) What is the first course of action for OA, RA, and gout?

(38:59) Where is your research on knee OA today, and what people can expect to see in the future?

The Joint Space podcast is brought to you by the University of Arizona Arthritis Center, one of the first four Centers of Excellence in the University of Arizona College of Medicine - Tucson.

Joint Space is produced by Greg Gilles with assistance from Luke Grawer and Dagoberto Robles, MPH. Graphics were created by Luke Padwe.

Our theme music is courtesy of ⁠⁠MC Yogi⁠⁠ and John Pattern.

To learn more about the Arthritis Center, please visit ⁠⁠⁠arthritis.arizona.edu⁠⁠⁠.