OBJECTIVETo understand the epidemiological characters of Kashin-Beck disease (KBD) in nuclear families, and to probe the pathogenetic mechanism and its etiology.

METHODSClinical diagnosis was used to identify nuclear families in KBD areas. Based on the clinical manifestation of parents in the nuclear families, 4938 nuclear families were divided into four types. According to the seriousness in KBD areas, prevalence of offspring and family aggregation in low, middle and high prevalence areas were formed and data was analyzed.

RESULTS(1) Type of nuclear family was associated to the degree of disease seriousness in the areas. (2) There was an aggregation of disease among the offsprings in the nuclear families of medium and high prevalence diseased areas. (3) There was an aggregation of offspring in the nuclear family of both parents or father alone who were suffered from KBD. (4) The prevalence of offspring in nuclear family of both parents with KBD was obviously higher than that in the nuclear family with single parent or neither having KBD.

CONCLUSIONThe degree of diseased areas seemed to influence the seriousness of KBD in individuals. The prevalence of parents in nuclear families might play a role in the pathogenesis of KBD.