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Background The etiology of bone marrow lesions (BMLs) without knee osteoarthritis (KOA) and their association with bone fragility are unclear. We aimed to investigate the association between BMLs, bone mineral density (BMD), and bone markers in women without radiographic evidence of KOA. Methods This single-center cross-sectional study in a Japanese population included 266 women without radiographic evidence of KOA, which was defined as a Kellgren-Lawrence grade

Introduction Serum hyaluronic acid (sHA) is a serum biomarker for knee osteoarthritis (OA). Although sHA concentration is elevated in patients with knee OA, the relationship between serum concentration and disease progression remains unclear. We examined the relationship between sHA concentration and radiographic progression of knee OA in a cohort of individuals followed for 5 years. Methods We prospectively enrolled 444 individuals and measured their sHA concentrations at baseline. Anterior-posterior weight bearing knee radiographs were obtained at baseline and the 5-year endpoint. Osteoarthritic knee changes were classified according to Kellgren–Lawrence (KL) grade, and joint space narrowing (JSN) was measured using a Knee Osteoarthritis Computer-Aided Diagnosis (KOACAD) system. Correlations between sHA concentration, progression in KL grade, and JSN were assessed using regression models, taking into account potentially confounding factors. Results OA progressed from KL grades 0 or 1 in 129 of the 323 knees, and from KL grades 2 or 3 in 61 of the 119 knees. Higher sHA concentrations were correlated with KL grade progression (p = 0.004). The mean JSN, as assessed by KOACAD over 5 years, was 0.23 ± 0.55 mm, and sHA concentration was positively correlated with progression of JSN in KL grades 0 or 1 (p = 0.021) and KL grades 2 or 3 (p = 0.008) knees. Conclusion Serum HA concentration was positively correlated with progression of KL grade. sHA was also positively correlated with progression of JSN in knees with and without OA, suggesting that sHA concentration may be a useful predictor of knee OA progression.

Introduction Collagen peptides have been reported to possess various biological activities for various cell types. The purposes of this study were, first, to examine the therapeutic effects of collagen tripeptide (Ctp) in rabbit osteoarthritis and, second, to explore a synergetic effect with hyaluronan (HA). Methods Osteoarthritis was induced by anterior cruciate ligament transection of the right knee in 72 Japanese white rabbits and they were divided into four groups (control, Ctp, HA and Ctp/HA). Each material was injected weekly into the knee, and knee joint samples were collected 5, 10 and 15 weeks after surgery. Macroscopic and histomorphological analyses of cartilage were conducted. Expression of type II collagen and matrix metalloproteinase-13 was also analyzed immunohistochemically. A Tukey's honestly significant difference test was used to evaluate the statistical significance of difference in the macroscopic, histological and immnohistochemical results. Results All treatment groups exhibited slightly higher resistance to the progression of osteoarthritis than the control group macroscopically 15 weeks after surgery. Histologically, intra-articular injection of Ctp significantly reduced cartilage degradation 10 weeks after surgery, and Ctp/HA significantly reduced it 5 weeks after surgery in comparison with the control. Immunohistochemically, both Ctp-treated and Ctp/HA-treated groups had significantly increased type II collagen-positive chondrocytes at the fifth week after the surgery, although the numbers of matrix metalloproteinase-13-positive chondrocytes were not affected. Conclusion Periodical injections of Ctp and Ctp/HA delayed progression of cartilage degeneration of early osteoarthritis induced by anterior cruciate ligament transection in rabbits. This effect appears to be exerted by promotion of type II collagen synthesis predominantly.

Background Quantitative measurement of knee joint effusion by ultrasonography has not been well established; however, a categorical measurement (e.g., a ≥4-mm-deep suprapatellar pouch) is recommended. Therefore, the current study aimed to elucidate the association between symptoms of knee osteoarthritis (OA) and the quantitative measurement of suprapatellar effusion by ultrasonography. Methods One hundred twenty-seven volunteers participated (31 men and 96 women; mean age: 68.3 ± 9.8 years; body mass index: 23.2 ± 3.0 kg/m2). The Kellgren-Lawrence grades (KLGs) of both knees were assessed; all subjects had definitive osteoarthritic change (KLG ≥2) in both knee joints. Joint effusion was evaluated using an ultrasound probe, which was placed longitudinally on the suprapatellar pouch, and we determined the area (mm2) of the echo-free space. Then we summed the effusion area of both knees. All subjects answered the knee injury and osteoarthritis outcome scale (KOOS) questionnaire. Multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to elucidate the association between the summed value of the knee effusion area and the KOOS subscales, which were adjusted by age, sex, body mass index, and KLG. Results Of 254 knees, 180 were KLG 2, 57 were KLG 3, and 17 were KLG 4. The multiple regression models showed that the quantitative knee effusion area significantly correlated with the following KOOS subscales: pain (B = −0.057; β = −0.253; P = 0.002), symptom (B = −0.053; β = −0.251; P = 0.002), sport and recreation (B = −0.069; β = −0.205; P = 0.007), and quality of life (B = −0.083; β = −0.276; P = 0.001). Conclusion In this cross-sectional study, the quantitative measurement of suprapatellar effusion by ultrasonography was associated with symptoms of radiographic knee OA.