关节软骨力学特征研究进展

骨关节炎(osteoarthritis OA)是一种以关节疼痛和僵硬为特征的慢性退行性关节疾患,好发于老年人群。OA发病缓慢,病程较长,早期临床表现和组织学改变均不明显,限制了疾病的早期诊断与治疗。关节软骨微观结构决定了软骨宏观力学特性。软骨微观结构具有区域差异性,导致软骨的力学性能也具有区域依赖性,从软骨浅表区到深区软骨抗负荷、抗形变能力逐渐增加。然而,在OA病程发展过程中,软骨微观构成改变导致OA软骨抗负荷、抗形变能力降低。通过检测关节软骨的微观构成可以推测软骨的力学特性,反之检测软骨的力学指标可以了解软骨早期的微观改变,从而有助于了解OA的病程发展,便于疾病的早期诊断。综述近年来关节软骨在正常和急慢性损伤状态下力学性能的相关研究文献,阐述软骨结构与力学性能之间的关系,为OA的病程发展、早期诊断与治疗提供进一步理论依据。

Research Progress on Mechanical Characteristics of Articular Cartilage

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic degenerative joint disease characterized by joint pain and stiffness, which predisposes to the elderly. The onset of OA is slow, the course of disease is long, and the early clinical manifestations and histological changes are not obvious, which limits the early diagnosis and treatment of the disease. The micro-structure of articular cartilage determines the macro-mechanical properties of cartilage. The micro-structure of articular cartilage changes in a depth-dependent manner, which makes the mechanical properties of cartilage also depth-dependent. From superficial to deep areas of cartilage, the anti-load and anti-deformation ability of cartilage increases gradually. However, with development of the disease, the change of cartilage micro-structure leads to the decrease in load resistance and deformation resistance of OA cartilage. Therefore, the mechanical properties of articular cartilage can be inferred by detecting the micro-structure of articular cartilage. On the other hand, the mechanical properties of articular cartilage can be used to understand the micro-changes of cartilage, which is helpful to understand OA development and facilitate early diagnosis of the disease. This paper reviewed the recent research literatures on mechanical properties of articular cartilage under normal and acute or chronic injuries, and elaborated the relationship between the structure and mechanical properties of articular cartilage, which further provided the theoretical basis for the OA development, early diagnosis and treatment.