In the hand, osteoarthritis can develop in the distal interphalangeal and the first carpometacarpal (base of thumb) and proximal interphalangeal joints (Stefansson et al., 2003). Patients with osteoarthritis may have one, a few, or all of these sites affected. Heberden nodes are bony excrescences of the phalanges of the distal interphalangeal joints of the fingers (Stecher, 1955). They can be considered a variety of osteoarthrosis, or degenerative arthritis.
For a phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of osteoarthritis, see OS1 (165720). [from
OMIM]