Possibility of complex diagnostics of initial stages of osteoarthrosis

Objective: To evaluate capabilities of magnetic resonance imaging including T2 relaxometry in combination with laboratory studies of biological markers for diagnostics of hyaline cartilage pathology in the initial stages of knee joint osteoarthritis (OA). Material and Methods: 37 patients of both sexes aged 35-50 years suffering from intermittent pain and discomfort in their knee joints (the main group). The control group was made up of 20 persons of the same age without clinical manifestations of joint pathology. Instrumental research included radiography, ultrasonography, and magnetic resonance imaging of knee joints, including T2 relaxometry measurement. The cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) content and daily urinary losses of C-terminal telopeptides of collagen type II Urine CartiLaps (CTX II) were determined. Inflammatory activity was evaluated by serum interleukin-1 (3 (11-1(3) with multiplex analysis and C-reactive protein concentration. Results: The increased content of cartilage extracellular matrix biopolymers in the biological fluids (serum COMP, urine excretion Urine CartiLaps (CTX II)) and inflammatory activity was found in patients of the main group compared to those in patients of the control group. Correlation between the COMP concentration and T2 relaxometry digital data (in CU) was characterized as positive strong (R = 0.83), and between COMP and articular cartilage thickness (in mm) on ultrasound data as negative medium (R = -0.63). Interconnections of the same kind were found between the level of daily excretion CTX II and articular cartilage morphometry findings with ultrasound (R = -0.59). Conclusion: Structural changes in the extracellular matrix in early stages of OA can be objectified using T2 cartilage relaxometry and determining COMP as well as CTX II in biological media.