The trial included 641 subjects, 200 (31.2%) of whom were found to have hand arthrosis. There were 135 (33.1%) women and 65 (27.9%) men with an average age of 54 (ranging from 35 to 75 years). Interphalangeal arthrosis was found in 33.1% of women and 25.8% of men, and rhisarthrosis in 8.3% of women and 7.3% of men. No significant differences in sex and age was found between these two groups of subjects (P = 0.45, P = 0.70). The relative incidence of arthrosis of the right hand was slightly higher than that of the left hand, but this difference was not significant because it was below 5% and 3.7%, respectively. Distal interphalangeal joints were more than three times more frequently affected than proximal interphalangeal joints. Pain and functional inability were found in two thirds of patients with rhisarthrosis and in one third of patients with interphalangeal arthrosis, and were closely correlated with the menopause. A significant correlation was found between the onset of menopause and clinical symptoms (r = 0.87, P = < 0.001).