Peculiarities of remodeling of hyalin cartilage at early stages of development of degenerative-distrophic processes of knee joints

The aim is to develop methods for detection of hyaline cartilage metabolic imbalance in patients with initial degenerative dystrophic changes in the substantiated pathogenetically knee. Material and Methods. Subject of inquiry: 50 women aged from 35 up to 57 (49.1 ±2.4), among them 36 patients with an early stage of knee osteoarthrosis made up an experimental group, 14 women without any musculoskeletal disease clinical presentations made up a control group. We carried out a complex examination including physical assessment, study of orthopaedic status, interview with the use of KOOS (Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score) scale, roentgenography and MRI of the knee and also a number of laboratory tests: enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay determination of the content of cytokine profile indices (IL-1, TNF-a, IL-6), cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) and bone (SerumCrossLaps and bone isozyme of alkaline phosphatase (BAP)) tissue metabolism markers in blood serum in all the groups of patients. Results. In all the patients of the experimental group the roentgenologic stage of osteoarthrosis was defined as 0-1 according to J. Lawrence and J. Kellgren, but at the same time knee degenerative changes were objectivized on the series of MR images in the form of MR signal changes of the articular cartilage, erosions and cysts, degenerative meniscus. We observed increased serum cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) in the same group and that is characteristic of hyaline cartilage destruction activation. We also detect disorders in bone tissue remodeling in the form of bone resorption intensification (Serum CrossLaps), osteogenesis increase (BAP) and activation of proinflammatory cytokine system link (IL-1, TNF-a). Conclusion. The leading pathogenetic links of the early degenerative changes of the knee are hyperproduction of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1, TNF-a), destruction of the hyaline cartilage and disorder in bone tissue remodeling. Assessment of biochemical predictors of cartilage and bone tissue degradation along with the instrumental methods of diagnosis is of great theoretical and practical importance in the system of early detection of incipient osteoarthrosis.