Osteoarthritis

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review synthesizes recent advancements in understanding subchondral bone (SCB) biomechanics using computed tomography (CT) and micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) imaging in large animal models, particularly horses. RECENT FINDINGS: Recent studies highlight the complexity of SCB biomechanics, revealing variability in density, microstructure, and biomechanical properties across the depth of SCB from the joint surface, as well as at different joint locations...

BACKGROUND: Matrix-induced autologous chondrocyte implantation (MACI), the third-generation of the technique, is an established procedure for the treatment of focal cartilage defects in the knee. However, the literature lacks long-term results of MACI with good statistical power. PURPOSE: To determine long-term survival and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in a representative cohort and to identify patient- and surgery-related parameters that may influence long-term clinical outcomes...

Purpose: Multiple loose bodies (LBs) are often found in patients with varus ankle osteoarthritis (OA). This study aimed to investigate the characteristics of extra-articular posterior ankle LBs in patients with varus ankle OA. We also sought to determine whether there were variations in the characteristics of LBs according to the degree of ankle OA. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 50 patients who had appeared posterior extraarticular LBs on preoperative ankle imaging among the patients who underwent operative treatment for varus ankle OA from March 2011 to February 2023...

We compared the outcomes of the Amandys® implant and four-corner fusion in patients aged over 50 years with grade 3 wrist osteoarthritis and a mean follow-up of 5 years. Clinical assessments were of pain, mobility, strength, functional scores and satisfaction. Radiographs were taken. A total of 46 patients (mean age 63 years; 28 four-corner fusion and 21 Amandys®) were included. Pain relief, mobility and functional scores were not significantly different in the two groups at inclusion. At the last follow-up, wrist extension and grip were improved after Amandys® arthroplasty...

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that vitamin D deficiency (i.e., serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) ≤ 20 ng/mL) associates with the increased occurrence and shortened time to a knee osteoarthritis (OA) diagnosis after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). METHODS: This study consisted of a retrospective, case-control design. The inclusion criteria consisted of (1) patients (≥18 y) who underwent arthroscopic ACLR with (cases; n = 28) and without (controls; n = 56) a subsequent knee OA diagnosis (≥90 d from the date of ACLR) and (2) with a documented serum 25(OH)D concentration after ACLR (and before a knee OA diagnosis for the cases)...

The extracellular matrix of cartilage primarily constitutes of collagen and aggrecan. Cartilage degradation starts with aggrecan loss in osteoarthritis (OA). Vitamin D (VD) plays an essential role in several inflammation-related diseases and can protect the collagen in cartilage during OA. The present study focused on the role of VD in aggrecan turnover of human articular chondrocytes treated with tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and the possible mechanism. Treatment with different doses of VD and different periods of intervention with TNF-α and TGF-β1 receptor (TGFβR1) inhibitor SB525334 were investigated...

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to prospectively investigate the progression of cartilage thinning in patients with symptomatic rotator cuff tears using MRI. Methods: Two hundred twenty-five consecutive patients with symptomatic rotator cuff tears visited our institute between 2009 and 2019. Of these, 28 shoulders of 27 patients (mean age, 65 years) who underwent at least two magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations were prospectively enrolled. They all received conservative treatment. The mean follow-up was 67 months...

Background/Objectives : To investigate if intra-articular biomarkers relate to peripheral and central sensitization in patients with late-stage knee osteoarthritis (KOA). Methods : A total of 17 (6M, 11F) patients (aged 69 ± 10 years) were assessed for peripheral (pressure pain thresholds (PPT)) and central (temporal summation (TS) and conditioned pain modulation (CPM)) sensitization the day before total knee arthroplasty. Synovial fluid was collected during surgery and assayed for IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, TNF-α, CXCL-10, BDNF, NGF, CCL2, CCL5, VEGF, IL-1RI, MMP-1, MMP-7, IL-1β, and CXCL-9...

The global cases of knee osteoarthritis (KOA) are projected to increase by 74.9% by 2050. Currently, over half of patients remain dissatisfied with their pain relief. This review addresses unmet needs for moderate-to-severe KOA pain; it offers evidence and insights for improved management. Italian experts from the fields of rheumatology, physical medicine and rehabilitation, orthopedics, primary care, and pain therapy have identified several key issues. They emphasized the need for standardized care protocols to address inconsistencies in patient management across different specialties...

Objectives: The pathophysiology of osteoarthritis is mainly unknown. Matrix Gla protein (MGP) and Gla-rich protein (GRP) are both vitamin-K-dependent mineralization inhibitors. In this study, we aimed to compare the levels of MGP and GRP in the synovial fluid of osteoarthritic (OA) and non-osteoarthritic (non-OA) knee joints. Materials and Methods: Two groups were formed, with one consisting of patients with OA and the other non-OA, serving as a control group. The non-OA group included individuals who had arthroscopic surgery for non-cartilage-related issues...

Background/Objectives : Hip mobility and joint loading in hip osteoarthritis (HOA) patients are mostly assessed during straight walking. Yet, mobility limitations in the frontal and transverse planes are rarely found during this task in subjects with mild-to-moderate symptoms. Turning movements are frequently encountered during everyday life and might require larger hip mobility compared to straight walking, especially in the frontal and transverse planes. Thus, hip mobility and hip loading during straight walking and 90° turns in persons with HOA and healthy older adults were compared in this study...

Background: Arthritis, particularly osteoarthritis (OA), is a common synovial condition observed in individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS). Despite its high prevalence and significant impact on the quality of life of MS individuals, there is a gap in the current literature regarding the prevalence of OA in this population and its relation to MS pathology. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to estimate the prevalence of OA in the MS population and explore potential associations with demographic and MS-specific characteristics...

Hip Disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Survey (HOOS) was developed as a region- and disease-specific outcome to assess hip disability. Despite the use of the HOOS in clinical practice and research, psychometric analyses of the scale in a large dataset of patients have not been performed. As such, the purposes of this study were to assess the structural validity of the HOOS in patients who underwent a total hip arthroplasty. Data were obtained from the Surgical Outcome System (SOS) global registry. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to assess the scale structure of the 40-item HOOS and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted to identify a parsimonious scale structure...

Osteoarthritis (OA) is an age-related disease characterized by inflammation, pain, articular cartilage damage, synovitis, and irreversible disability. Gynostemma pentaphyllum (Thunb.) Makino (GP), a herbal medicine traditionally used in East Asia for its anti-inflammatory properties, was investigated for its potential to modulate OA pathology and symptoms. This study evaluated GP's efficacy in inhibiting pain, functional decline, and cartilage destruction in monosodium iodoacetate-induced OA and acetic acid-induced writhing models...

Degenerative diseases oftentimes occur within the continuous process of aging, and the corresponding clinical manifestations may be neurodegeneration, neoplastic diseases, or various human complex diseases. DNA methylation provides the opportunity to explore aging and degenerative diseases as epigenetic traits. It has already been applied to age prediction and disease diagnosis. It has been shown that various degenerative diseases share co-physiology mechanisms with each other, clues of which may be gained from studying the aging process...

Articular cartilage receives nutrients and oxygen from the synovial fluid to maintain homeostasis. However, compared to tissues with abundant blood flow, articular cartilage is exposed to a hypoxic environment (i.e., physioxia) and has an enhanced hypoxic stress response. Hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) play a pivotal role in this physioxic environment. In normoxic conditions, HIFs are downregulated, whereas in physioxic conditions, they are upregulated. The HIF-α family comprises three members: HIF-1α, HIF-2α, and HIF-3α...

The management of rheumatic diseases has noticeably changed in recent years with the development of targeted therapeutic agents, namely, biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs. Identifying essential signaling pathways and factors crucial for the development and progression of these diseases remains a significant challenge. Therapy could be used to delay the onset or reduce harm. The endocannabinoid system's presence within the synovium can be identified as a suggested target for therapeutic interventions due to its role in modulating pain, inflammation, and joint metabolism...

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a leading cause of pain and disability worldwide in elderly people. There is a critical need to develop novel therapeutic strategies that can effectively manage pain and disability to improve the quality of life for older people. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have emerged as a promising cell-based therapy for age-related disorders due to their multilineage differentiation and strong paracrine effects. Notably, MSC-derived exosomes (MSC-Exos) have gained significant attention because they can recapitulate MSCs into therapeutic benefits without causing any associated risks compared with direct cell transplantation...

Inflammation models are widely used in the in vitro investigation of new therapeutic approaches for osteoarthritis. TNFα (tumor necrosis factor alpha) plays an important role in the inflammatory process. Current inflammation models lack uniformity and make comparisons difficult. Therefore, this study aimed to systematically investigate whether the effects of TNFα are concentration-dependent and whether chondrocyte expansion has an effect on the inflammatory model. Bovine chondrocytes were enzymatically isolated, expanded to passages 1-3, and transferred into a 3D pellet culture...

Knee effusion, a common and important indicator of joint diseases such as osteoarthritis, is typically more discernible on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans compared to radiographs. However, the use of radiographs for the early detection of knee effusion remains promising due to their cost-effectiveness and accessibility. This multi-center prospective study collected a total of 1413 radiographs from four hospitals between February 2022 to March 2023, of which 1281 were analyzed after exclusions. To automatically detect knee effusion on radiographs, we utilized a state-of-the-art (SOTA) deep learning-based classification model with a novel preprocessing technique to optimize images for diagnosing knee effusion...