High-resolution imaging of progressive articular cartilage degeneration.

The objective of this study was to develop and verify a new technique for monitoring the progression of osteoarthritis (OA) by combining a rat model with the imaging modality optical coherence tomography (OCT). Time-sequential, in vivo, OCT imaging was performed on the left femoral condyles of 12 Wistar rats following sodium-iodoacetic acid-induced OA progression. The right femoral condyles (untreated) were also imaged and served as controls. Imaging was performed on days 0, 10, 20, 30, and 60 with an OCT system capable of acquiring images at four frames per second and an axial resolution of 5 microm. Progressive changes were analyzed using an OA scoring system. OCT successfully identified progressive cartilage degeneration as well as alteration of the cartilage/bone interface. Significant changes to both of these structures were observed in the sodium-iodoacetic acid-injected condyles. Structural changes detected with OCT were confirmed histologically. OCT in combination with a well-known model used in arthritis research represents a powerful tool for following degenerative joint disease progression in a given animal by detecting changes to the cartilage/bone interface and articular cartilage.     

Influence of Osteoarthritis on Serum Marker Levels of Bone Formation and Resorption in Patients with Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy

Background :
The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of osteoarthritis of lumbar vertebrae on serum bone formation and resorption marker levels of patients with benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH).
Methods :
Serum levels of carboxyterminal propeptide of type I procollagen (PICP), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), carboxyterminaltelopeptide of type I collagen (ICTP), and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) were examined in 40 patients with BPH, and the presence of osteoarthritis at the lumbar vertebrae of the patients was evaluated by plain x-ray-p.
Results :
Findings of osteoarthritis were observed in 23 of the 40 patients (58%), and 10 of the patients had severe osteoarthritis (involving at least 2 lumbar vertebral bodies). The serum levels of PICP, ALP, ICTP, and PSA of the patients without osteoarthritis findings were not different from those of the patients with osteoarthritis or severe osteoarthritis.
Conclusion :
The influence of osteoarthritis on serum bone formation and resorption marker levels of patients with BPH appears to be rather slight, if there is any influence at all.     

人工全膝关节置换术治疗膝关节骨关节炎

[目的]评价人工膝关节置换术治疗骨关节炎的临床疗效。[方法]本院自1994年10月～2003年10月采用人工全膝关节置换术治疗膝关节骨关节炎81例（95膝），男10例，女71例；平均年龄65．5岁（50—82岁）；左膝35例，右膝26例，双侧同时置换17例；保留后交叉韧带假体18膝，后方稳定性假体62膝，活动衬垫15膝。[结果]本组平均随访42个月（14—108个月），应用HSS膝关节评分系统进行分析，优：80膝（84．21％），良：10膝（10．53％），可：3膝（3．16％），差：2膝（2．10％）。优良率94．74％。[结论]作者认为人工全膝关节置换术能有效的缓解膝关节骨关节炎的疼痛，改善膝关节功能。正确的选择假体、精细的手术操作和严格的术后康复是保证手术效果的关键。     

Efficacy of lumiracoxib in relieving pain associated with knee osteoarthritis: a 6‐week,randomized, double‐blind,parallel‐group study

Aim: The aim of the current study was to assess the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of lumiracoxib 200 mg once daily (o.d.) in relieving osteoarthritis (OA) knee pain in patients in China, Taiwan, and South Korea. Methods: Patients of either sex (aged ≥ 18 years) with symptomatic, primary OA of the knee for ≥ 3 months were eligible for inclusion if they had OA pain intensity of ≥ 40 mm (100 mm visual analogue scale [VAS]) in the target knee joint during the previous 24 h. Patients were required to undergo regular non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drug therapy for ≥ 6 weeks. After 3–7 days of screening, patients were randomized (1 : 1) to receive either lumiracoxib 200 mg o.d. or celecoxib 200 mg o.d. The primary efficacy comparison between the study groups was overall OA pain intensity (VAS) in the target knee after 6 weeks of treatment. Results: The mean overall OA pain intensity (VAS) in the target knee after 6 weeks decreased from 60.6 mm to 35.7 mm and 60.5 mm to 36.1 mm in the lumiracoxib and celecoxib groups, respectively. Both study groups showed similar results in terms of improvement in both patient's and physician's global assessment of disease activity and functional health status. The percentage of adverse events (AEs) in the lumiracoxib and celecoxib groups (40.3% and 37.9%, respectively) was similar, as was the proportion of treatment‐related AEs (21.0% and 18.2%, respectively). Conclusions: Lumiracoxib 200 mg o.d. provided effective and well‐tolerated pain relief similar to that achieved with celecoxib 200 mg o.d. in knee OA patients.     

膝骨关节病性髁间窝撞击症的镜下诊断与治疗

目的 探讨膝骨性关节炎合并股骨髁间窝撞击症的诊断和治疗方法.方法 关节镜下确诊合并股骨髁间窝撞击症的膝骨性关节炎患者37例43膝.采用镜下清理骨赘、股骨髁间窝扩大成形术治疗.结果 43膝均获随访,时间6～24个月.术前Lysholm评分平均61分(41～80分) ,术后平均85分(75～100分),关节功能均获明显改善(P＜0.05).结论 关节镜检查及镜下微创手术对膝骨关节病性髁间窝撞击症的诊断和治疗有着重要的价值,镜下股骨髁间窝扩大成形术是治疗该病的有效方法.     

老年骨性关节炎的康复医疗

目的 探计原发性骨关节康复治疗的疗效。方法 回顾性调查460例原发性骨关节炎不同治疗情况的疗效。所获数据采用方差分析和t。结果 系统治疗组疗效优于非系统治疗组，功能锻炼和药物治疗，P＜0．0l，物理疗法，p＜0．05。结论 系统的合理的功能锻炼加综合药物治疗对骨关节炎是最有效的治疗方法。     

Viscosupplementation in the olderpatient with osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis of the knee is the leading cause of disability in the elderly. This localized, painful condition is oftenaccompanied by decreased elastoviscosity of the intraarticular synovial fluid due to decreased hyaluronan molecular weight and/or concentration. Viscosupplementation attempts to restore viscoelastic homeostasis to the arthritic joint to reduce pain and restore function. Recently, two low-molecular weight (MW) hyaluronans and one cross-linked high-MW hyaluronan(hylan) have been approved for the intraarticular treatment of this disease in the United States. Five weekly intraarticular injections are recommended for both low-MW hyaluronans. They have been proven effective in reducing knee pain in mild to moderate disease, equivalent to NSAIDS. They are as effective as corticosteroids, are of slower onset, and have longer duration of effect. Three weekly injections are recommended for the hylan product. It has been proven effective in mild to advanced disease and is as or more effective than NSAIDS and more effective than corticosteroids. Definitive comparative studies of these products have not been published. Viscosupplementation has been shown to be very safe. Local transient knee pain and/or swelling (2–4%) per injection, without long-term sequelae have been the only significant adverse events No systemic effects, viral transmission, drug interaction, or mortality have been associated with this treatment. It is recommended that viscosupplementation be considered after the failure of exercise and local or systemic analgesic treatment in the elderly osteoarthritic knee, particularly when gastrointestinal, renal, or cardiovascular comorbidities or drug interactions may exist.     

Effect of wrist and ulna head position on gliding resistance of the extensor digitorum minimi and extensor digitorum communis III tendons: a cadaver study.

While attrition from sharp bony surfaces is the most common cause of extensor digiti minimi (EDM) tendon rupture, the etiology of other cases of spontaneous EDM tendon rupture is still unknown. Friction within the compartment may play a role, especially with ulna dislocation. The purpose of this study was to compare gliding resistance of the EDM tendon with that of a tendon which rarely ruptures spontaneously, the extensor digitorum communis of the middle finger (EDC III) tendon, under various wrist and ulna head positions. Eight fresh frozen cadavers were used. Gliding resistance between the tendon and its sheath in each compartment was measured in five different wrist positions and three different ulna head positions. Gliding resistance of the EDM tendon (0.13 +/- 0.03 N) was significantly greater than the EDC III tendon (0.09 +/- 0.03 N) (p < 0.05). For the EDM tendon, the gliding resistance in ulnar deviation or pronation was higher than the gliding resistance in neutral, radial deviation, or supination (p < 0.05), and the gliding resistance with ulnar lengthening (over 6 mm) or dorsal ulnar dislocation (over 9 mm) was higher than in neutral ulnar head positioning. For the EDC III tendon, the gliding resistance in ulnar deviation was significantly higher than the gliding resistance in neutral, radial deviation, or supination, or dorsal dislocation with ulnar lengthening (p < 0.05). Wrist ulnar deviation, ulnar dorsal dislocation (over 9 mm), and ulnar lengthening (over 6 mm) increased the gliding resistance of the EDM tendon. In patients at risk for EDM rupture, such as those with rheumatoid arthritis or distal radioulnar joint osteoarthritis, avoiding such positions may be advantageous.