Relationships between tibial articular cartilage, in vivo external joint moments and static alignment in end-stage knee osteoarthritis: a micro-CT study
Date
2022
Authors
Rapagna, S.
Roberts, B.C.
Solomon, L.B.
Reynolds, K.J.
Thewlis, D.
Perilli, E.
Editors
Advisors
Journal Title
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Journal article
Citation
Journal of Orthopaedic Research, 2022; 40(5):1125-1134
Statement of Responsibility
Sophie Rapagna, Bryant C. Roberts, Lucian B. Solomon, Karen J. Reynolds, Dominic Thewlis, Egon Perilli
Conference Name
Abstract
Biomechanical factors (e.g. joint loading) have a significant role in the progression of osteoarthritis (OA). However, some relationships between in vivo joint loading indices and tibial cartilage thickness are conflicting. This study investigated relationships between pre-operative in vivo external knee joint moments and joint alignment with regional tibial cartilage thickness using micro-CT in subjects with end-stage knee OA. Tibial plateaus from 25 patients that underwent knee replacement for OA were micro-CT scanned (17µm/voxel). Prior to surgery, subjects underwent gait analysis to calculate external knee moments. The mechanical axis deviation (MAD) was obtained from pre-operative radiographs. Cartilage thickness (Cart.Th) was analyzed from micro-CT images, in anteromedial, anterolateral, posteromedial and posterolateral subregions of interest. Medial-to-lateral Cart.Th ratios were also explored. Relationships between Cart.Th and joint loading indices were examined using Pearson's correlations. Significant correlations were found between Cart.Th and joint loading indices, positive anteromedially with the first peak knee adduction moment (r= 0.55, p<0.01) and external rotation moment (ERM; r= 0.52, p<0.01), and negative with MAD (r= -0.76, p<0.001). In the lateral regions, these correlations had opposite signs. The medial-to-lateral Cart.Th ratio correlated strongly with ERM (r= 0.63, p=0.001) and MAD (r= -0.75, p<0.001). Joint loading indices correlated with regional cartilage thickness values and their medial-to-lateral ratios in end-stage knee OA subjects, with higher regional loads corresponding to thinner cartilage. These relationships have the opposite sign compared to the subchondral bone microarchitecture found in our previous study on the same specimens, which may suggest a complementary bone-cartilage interplay in response to loading.
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Dissertation Note
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Description
First published: 30 June 2021
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© 2021 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC