Biochemical markers of connective tissue involvement in children with the hip dysplasia

Purpose. To determine the activity and depth of the pathological process in the bone and cartilage tissues of children and adolescents with the hip dysplasia, as well as to reveal the informative value of the biochemical tests used for diagnosing and controlling the efficiency of this pathology treatment. Material and Methods. The laboratory investigation of blood serum and daily urine performed in 36 patients with different manifestation degree of anatomic disorders for the hip dysplasia. The patients were divided into two groups. The first group consisted of children with the involvement of mainly femoral component of the joint, the second one consisted of the children with both joint component involvement. The values of electrolytes and the markers of bone tissue organic matrix degradation determined in blood serum and urine. Moreover, five samples of synovial fluid investigated. Results. The investigation of blood serum and daily urine in the patients of the first group allowed to conclude the involvement of bone tissue organic matrix. No significant changes in the values of bone tissue mineral composition revealed in these patients. In addition to the increase in the concentration of degradation markers of the organic markers, significant deviations in the degree of its sulfation observed, as well as the tendency toward the change in some electrolyte ratio and the increase in calcium and phosphate excretion from the body. The investigation of the concentrations of bone tissue organic matrix degradation markers in blood serum of the children in the second group demonstrated significant increase in the degree of glycosaminoglycane (GAG) sulfation, as indicated by more than five-fold increase in sulphates/hexuronic acids (HUA) ratio. Conclusion. The use of integral biochemical parameters provides an objective assessment of skeletal homeostasis in diagnosis, and allows controlling the efficiency of this pathology treatment.