Background of the Forum
Bone and joint diseases are a group of chronic diseases characterized by pain and inflammation of the joints and surrounding tissues, which cause joint dysfunction and loss of quality of life. They include more than a dozen diseases such as osteoarthritis (OA), spinal diseases, osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis and gouty arthritis. Age, gender, obesity, genetic and environmental factors are related to the incidence and progression of bone and joint diseases. They have been one of the most common diseases since ancient times, and there are nearly 600 million people in the world suffering from different bone and joint diseases, 100 millions of them being Chinese. Based on this fact, WHO has classified bone and joint diseases, cardiovascular diseases and cancer as the “three major killers” that threaten human health, and set October 12 as the “World Arthritis Day”.
Founded in 1990, OARSI is the only organization dedicated exclusively to advancing OA research. It is the premier international organization for scientists and health care professionals focused on the prevention and treatment of osteoarthritis through the promotion and presentation of research, education and the worldwide dissemination of new knowledge. Aiming to promote the development of OA research in China, International Chinese Osteoarthritis Research Society (ICOARS) was established in April 2018, at the "2018 OARSI World Osteoarthritis Congress" in Liverpool, England. Twelve outstanding Chinese scholars were selected as members of the first committee worldwide. Prof. Yuqing Zhang from Harvard University was appointed as the President, and Prof. Changhai Ding from Southern Medical University was selected as the Vice President and President-elect. In order to share the basic and clinical research results of bone and joint diseases, and stimulate the research interests on these diseases in China, the Pearl River International Forum On Bone & Joint Diseases 2018 and the 1st OARSI Guangzhou Satellite Meeting, sponsored by OARSI and Rheumatology & Immunology Committee of Association of Medical Exchange Across the Taiwan Straits, and co-organized by ICOARS and Rheumatology Branch and Orthopedics Branch of Guangdong Medical Association, will be held in Guangzhou on December 15th- 16th, 2018. The forum will be hosted by Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University. Prof. Changhai Ding, Prof. Ali Mobasheri and Prof. Xiaofeng Zeng will serve as co-chairs of the forum. The forum will focus on the latest clinical and basic medical research progress of bone and joint diseases, and conducts in-depth discussion on cutting-edge research in the fields from clinical epidemiology and pathogenesis to early detection and treatment prospects. The forum will invite the world’s top experts as well as domestic clinicians, researchers and epidemiologists to share the latest research results and to explore international cooperation in bone and joint disease research. This forum will provide participants an excellent platform for communication, and collaboration, and an opportunity to update their knowledge. It will discuss the new progress and future development in research of bone and joint diseases from multi-levels, multi-angles and multi-aspects. We sincerely invite you to participate in this event.