An older client with osteoarthritis reports increasing pain and stiffness in the right knee and asks how to reduce these symptoms. In responding to the client, the nurse recognizes which pathology as the cause of the symptoms?

A. Infectious process in the synovial fluid: An infection in the synovial fluid would suggest septic arthritis, not osteoarthritis, which is a degenerative, non-infectious joint condition. B. Systemic inflammatory response: A systemic inflammatory response is characteristic of autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, not the localized wear-and-tear process of osteoarthritis. C. Destruction of joint cartilage: Osteoarthritis involves the gradual breakdown and loss of cartilage, leading to pain, stiffness, and decreased joint mobility as bone surfaces begin to rub against each other. D. Loss of bone mineral density: Loss of bone mineral density is related to osteoporosis, a different condition that affects bone strength but does not primarily cause joint pain and stiffness.