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 what pathology as the cause of the symptoms?

A. Osteoarthritis is primarily caused by the destruction of joint cartilage, which leads to pain, stiffness, and decreased mobility in the affected joints. This degenerative process is the hallmark of the condition.B. Loss of bone mineral density is associated with osteoporosis, not osteoarthritis. While both conditions can cause joint pain, they have different underlying pathologies.C. An infectious process in the synovial fluid would indicate septic arthritis, which is an acute and severe condition requiring different management.D. A systemic inflammatory response is more characteristic of rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune condition, rather than osteoarthritis, which is a degenerative joint disease.