Why some people get severe shoulder (glenohumeral) arthritis
Official title: Risk Factors for End-Stage Glenohumeral Osteoarthritis
Funded at Washington University · NIH-11194274 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers will look at personal, work, surgical, and genetic factors that make adults more likely to develop severe shoulder osteoarthritis that can lead to joint replacement.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project start | September 18, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $349,023 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AR083937-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11194274 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with a history of shoulder pain, shoulder instability or prior shoulder surgery, or those with hip or knee replacements are the kinds of patients whose records or samples are most relevant to this work.
✕Less likely to help
People without shoulder osteoarthritis or those whose shoulder disease is due to non-osteoarthritis causes, or who already have had a shoulder replacement, are less likely to benefit directly from this project.
What this research studies
This project analyzes medical records, surgical histories, occupational data, and genetic information to find factors linked to end-stage glenohumeral (shoulder) osteoarthritis. The team will compare people who progress to shoulder arthroplasty with those who do not to estimate absolute risks across different groups. They will examine links with prior shoulder instability and with hip or knee arthroplasty history, and explore genetic contributions to shoulder-specific OA. Findings will be used to improve counseling and target early evaluation in high-risk patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could help identify people at high risk for severe shoulder arthritis so doctors can counsel, monitor, and possibly intervene earlier to delay or avoid joint replacement.
How similar studies have gone: Risk factors are well-described for hip and knee osteoarthritis but shoulder-specific work is limited, so this approach is relatively novel for glenohumeral OA.
Where this research is happening
-
Washington University
Saint Louis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yanik, Elizabeth Lee — Washington University
- Study coordinator: Yanik, Elizabeth Lee
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.