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ABSTRACT Osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent degenerative disorder that severely impacts quality of life due to pain and disability. Although the pathophysiology of OA remains incompletely understood, recent research highlights the role of synovial inflammation in OA onset and progression, driven primarily by inflammatory infiltrates, especially macrophages, in the synovium. These macrophages respond to the local microenvironment, polarizing into either pro‐inflammatory (M1) or anti‐inflammatory (M2) subtypes. This review focuses on the role of macrophage polarization in OA pathogenesis and treatment, emphasizing how M1/M2 polarization is influenced by pathways such as STAT, NF‐κB, caspase, and MAPK. These pathways induce low‐grade inflammation within OA‐affected joints, altering chondrocyte metabolism, inhibiting cartilage repair, and impairing mesenchymal stem cell chondrogenesis, thereby contributing to OA progression. Additionally, this review discusses potential therapies targeting macrophage polarization, encompassing compounds, proteins, cells, and microRNAs, to offer insights into novel treatment strategies for OA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Research on the distribution of and the variation in coronal plane alignment of the knee (CPAK) in the Chinese osteoarthritis population is limited. We aimed to establish the CPAK classification based on the characteristics of lower limb alignment in the Chinese osteoarthritis population. We also investigated variations in lower limb alignment parameters and CPAK phenotypes based on gender, body mass index (BMI), and age. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on a total of 944 knees diagnosed with osteoarthritis in 479 patients from January 2017 to December 2023. A scatterplot was used to describe the distribution of the CPAK classification, and the differences in lower limb alignment parameters and the CPAK classification were compared across genders (male, female), ages (middle‐aged/<65 years, elderly/≥65 years), and BMI categories (normal/<25 kg/m2, overweight and obese/≥25 kg/m2) using the chi‐squared test or Fisher's exact test. Results: The average arithmetic hip‐knee‐ankle angle and joint line obliquity (JLO) were −3.03° ± 5.69° and 174.45° ± 4.29°, respectively. There was a higher prevalence of constitutional varus alignment in males and the overweight or obese group, while constitutional valgus alignment was more common in females and the normal BMI group (p < 0.05). Additionally, females had a greater apex distal JLO than males (p < 0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in lower limb alignment parameters among different age groups (p > 0.05). Although there were variations in alignment parameters across different genders and BMI categories in the knee osteoarthritis population, the predominant CPAK classifications were type I (38.03%), followed by type II (20.02%) and type IV (17.06%). Conclusion: The most common CPAK types were I, II, and IV, and they were not influenced by gender, BMI, or age, indicating that the CPAK classification can reliably reflect constitutional alignment. A better understanding of native alignment variability can aid in providing patient‐specific recommendations when considering orthopedic alignment strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Due to the technical challenges associated with femoral reconstruction in total hip arthroplasty for patients with developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH), the exact indications for using femoral modular stems, despite their satisfactory clinical outcomes, remain poorly investigated. This study sought to assess the morphology of the femur and acetabulum, and to investigate the discriminative ability of femoral anteversion (FA), acetabular anteversion (AA), and combined anteversion (CA) on the selection of femoral modular stem in dysplastic hips. Methods: Retrospective data were collected from multiple centers on a total of 230 cases who underwent THA due to DDH from January 1, 2020, to March 1, 2023. There were 46 males and 184 females, with an average age of 51.57 ± 14.87. Patients were stratified according to Crowe and Eftekhar classifications. FA, AA, and CA were measured using computed tomography (CT). The distribution of these indices in different grades of dysplastic hips was compared, and the correlation between these indices and the selection of femoral modular stem was analyzed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and likelihood statistics were performed to investigate the discriminating and predictive value of each index in selecting modular stem. Results: Two hundred and thirty hips were included in the study. FA increased as the subluxation percentage increased: type I, 21.5°; type II, 28.6°; type III, 34.9°; and type IV, 39.7°. AA was smaller in type I (16.9°) and higher in types II, III, and IV (18.9–22.6°). The area under the curve for the modular stem was 0.87 for FA, 0.86 for CA, and 0.65 for AA. The optimal cutoff values were FA > 32.6°, CA > 50.7°, and AA > 23.3°. Conclusion: Excessive AA and femoral anteversion FA were observed in Crowe types II, III, and IV cases. FA and CA demonstrated strong discriminative ability and predictive value in the selection of a modular stem. The best cutoff values were ≥32.6° for FA and ≥50.7° for CA in discriminating the use of modular stem. Surgeons may contemplate the use of a modular stem when the preoperative evaluation approaches the cutoff value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]