Histopathological correlation supports the use of x-rays in the diagnosis of hand osteoarthritis

Dorso-ventral osteophytes of interphalangeal joints correlate with cartilage damage and synovial inflammation in hand osteoarthritis: a histological/radiographical study

Objective

To detect dorsally located osteophytes (OP) on lateral x-ray views and to correlate their presence with the extent of structural joint damage, determined by histologic grading (cartilage damage and synovial inflammation) and radiographic scoring in hand osteoarthritis (HOA).

Methods

Distal interphalangeal (DIP) and proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joints were obtained from post mortem specimens (n = 40). Multiplanar plain x-rays were taken (dorso/palmar (dp) and lateral views). Radiographic OA was determined by the Kellgren and Lawrence classification. Joint samples were prepared for histological analysis and cartilage damage was graded according to the Mankin scoring system. Inflammatory changes of the synovial membrane were scored using the general synovitis score (GSS). Spearman’s correlation was applied to examine the relationship between histological and radiographical changes. Differences between groups were determined by Mann-Whitney test.

Results

Bony proliferations that were only detectable on lateral views but reminiscent of OPs on dp images were termed dorso-ventral osteophytes (dvOPs). All joints displaying dvOPs were classified as OA and the presence of dvOPs in DIP and PIP joints correlated with the extent of histological and radiographic joint damage, as well as with patient age. Joint damage in osteoarthritic DIP and PIP joints without any dvOPs was less severe compared to joints with dvOPs. Synovial inflammation was mainly present in joints displaying dvOPs and correlated with joint damage.

Conclusion

dvOPs are associated with increasing structural alterations in DIP and PIP joints and can be seen as markers of advanced joint damage. Detecting dvOPs can facilitate the diagnosis process and improve damage estimation in HOA.

Radiological changes in shoulder osteoarthritis and pain sensation correlate with patients’ age

Purpose

Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common musculoskeletal disorders in the aging population. The correlation of radiographic OA severity, disability and pain is variable and inconsistent for the different joints. This study aims to elucidate the relationship between histological and radiological signs of shoulder OA with pain sensation and functional impairment to potentially adapt the recommendation for surgical treatment for primary total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA).

Methods

Forty-four patients with shoulder OA undergoing TSA using an anatomic stemless implant were included in this study. The radiological OA severity was scored pre-operatively on true ap X-rays according to the Kellgren–Lawrence score (KL-Score). Acromial types according to Bigliani were defined by pre-operative radiological images. The histological OA severity was determined according to the OARSI-Score using bone–cartilage sections from loaded areas of the humeral head. Pain was quantified using the visual analog scale (VAS). The functional status was assessed by the items “mobility” and “strength” out of the Constant–Murley score (CS Score). Demographic data including BMI, age, gender, diabetes mellitus and smoking were recorded.

Results

There was no correlation between radiographic and histological severity in shoulder OA. However, a correlation of age and the severity of radiological changes was observed. Further, pain did not correlate with histological or radiological scores, whereas it correlated with age and the presence of diabetes mellitus. The functional shoulder status (mobility, strength) correlated with the severity of radiological changes, but not with the histologic scoring, which correlated with nicotine abuse.

Conclusion

This study shows that increased age is the main determinant of radiological changes in shoulder OA, as well as pain. Therefore, age and pain sensation should be considered as important parameters for the recommendation for TSA.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13018-022-03137-x.

Hand X-ray examination in two planes is not required for radiographic assessment of hand osteoarthritis

AIMS

Radiographic imaging is essential in the diagnosis of hand osteoarthritis (HOA); however, it is unknown whether a multiplanar examination would add essential information to dorso-palmar (dp) views alone. This study evaluated whether an additional radiographic view would aid clinicians in the diagnostic process of HOA.

METHODS

The dp radiographs of both hands from 159 HOA patients were assessed according to the scores described by Kellgren and Lawrence (K/L). In oblique view images, structures similar to classic ostophytes (OPs) were found, namely bony proliferations on the dorsal and/or ventral margins of joints, and were documented as dorsal/ventral OPs (dvOPs). Function and pain were assessed by applying standardised read-out systems. Logistic regression analysis and Mann-Whitney tests were implemented.

RESULTS

The presence of dvOPs was associated with the degree of joint damage; however, dp views were sufficient to estimate radiographic changes. Only a few joints showed dvOPs as the only structural alteration; nevertheless, in almost all cases, classical radiographic OA changes were found in dp views of other joints of the same or the contralateral hand. The presence of dvOPs did not affect joint function or pain according to established scores, but was associated with radiographic progression in distal interphalangeal joints.

CONCLUSION

This is the first study to confirm that additional radiographic planes, oblique/lateral views, are not necessary in the diagnostic process in HOA in daily clinical practice. Nevertheless, the presence of dvOPs reflect more severe joint damage and is associated with radiographic progression in HOA; hence, oblique/lateral views could be a useful tool for academic purposes.

Toll-like receptors and their soluble forms differ in the knee and thumb basal osteoarthritic joints

Background and purpose - Although the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA) is not well understood, chondrocyte-mediated inflammatory responses (triggered by the activation of innate immune receptors by damage-associated molecules) are thought to be involved. We examined the relationship between Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and OA in cartilage from 2 joints differing in size and mechanical loading: the first carpometacarpal (CMC-I) and the knee. Patients and methods - Samples of human cartilage obtained from OA CMC-I and knee joints were immunostained for TLRs (1-9) and analyzed using histomorphometry and principal component analysis (PCA). mRNA expression levels were analyzed with RT-PCR. Collected synovial fluid (SF) samples were screened for the presence of soluble forms of TLR2 and TLR4 by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results - In contrast to knee OA, TLR expression in CMC-I OA did not show grade-dependent overall profile changes, but PCA revealed that TLR expression profiles clustered according to their cellular compartment organization. Protein levels of TLR4 were substantially higher in knee OA than in CMC-I OA, while the opposite was the case at the mRNA level. ELISA assays confirmed the presence of soluble forms of TLR2 and TLR4 in SF, with sTLR4 being considerably higher in CMC-I OA than in knee OA. Interpretation - We observed that TLRs are differentially expressed in OA cartilage, depending on the joint. Soluble forms of TLR2 and TLR4 were detected for the first time in SF of osteoarthritic joints, with soluble TLR4 being differentially expressed. Together, our results suggest that negative regulatory mechanisms of innate immunity may be involved in the pathomolecular mechanisms of osteoarthritis.

Chondrocyte cultures from human proximal interphalangeal finger joints

Osteoarthritis (OA) of the hand is a common disease resulting in pain and impaired function. The pathogenesis of hand OA (HOA) is elusive and models to study it have not been described. Chondrocyte culture has been essential to understand cartilage degeneration, which is a hallmark of OA. We investigated the feasibility of human chondrocyte culture derived from proximal interphalangeal (PIP) finger joints. Hyaline cartilage of the PIP and knee joints was obtained from human cadavers. Chondrocytes harvested up to 236 h after death of the donors were viable and expressed chondrocyte-specific genes. Gene expression comparing chondrocytes from PIP and knee joints using Affymetrix GeneChip arrays resulted in a unique PIP-specific gene expression pattern. Genes involved in developmental processes including the WNT pathway were differentially expressed between the joints. These findings suggest that our knowledge on chondrocyte biology derived mainly from knee and hip joints may not apply to chondrocytes of the PIP joints and some of the distinctive features of HOA may be caused by the specific properties of PIP chondrocytes. Chondrocyte culture of PIP cartilage is a novel tool to study cartilage degeneration in HOA. © 2016 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 34:1569-1575, 2016.

Functional outcome measures in a surgical model of hip osteoarthritis in dogs

Background

The hip is one of the most common sites of osteoarthritis in the body, second only to the knee in prevalence. However, current animal models of hip osteoarthritis have not been assessed using many of the functional outcome measures used in orthopaedics, a characteristic that could increase their utility in the evaluation of therapeutic interventions. The canine hip shares similarities with the human hip, and functional outcome measures are well documented in veterinary medicine, providing a baseline for pre-clinical evaluation of therapeutic strategies for the treatment of hip osteoarthritis. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a surgical model of hip osteoarthritis in a large laboratory animal model and to evaluate functional and end-point outcome measures.

Methods

Seven dogs were subjected to partial surgical debridement of cartilage from one femoral head. Pre- and postoperative pain and functional scores, gait analysis, radiographs, accelerometry, goniometry and limb circumference were evaluated through a 20-week recovery period, followed by histological evaluation of cartilage and synovium.

Results

Animals developed histological and radiographic evidence of osteoarthritis, which was correlated with measurable functional impairment. For example, Mankin scores in operated limbs were positively correlated to radiographic scores but negatively correlated to range of motion, limb circumference and 20-week peak vertical force.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates that multiple relevant functional outcome measures can be used successfully in a large laboratory animal model of hip osteoarthritis. These measures could be used to evaluate relative efficacy of therapeutic interventions relevant to human clinical care.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s40634-016-0053-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Radiographic scoring methods in hand osteoarthritis--a systematic literature search and descriptive review

OBJECTIVE

This systematic literature review aimed to evaluate the use of conventional radiography (CR) in hand osteoarthritis (OA) and to assess the metric properties of the different radiographic scoring methods.

DESIGN

Medical literature databases up to November 2013 were systematically reviewed for studies reporting on radiographic scoring of structural damage in hand OA. The use and metric properties of the scoring methods, including discrimination (reliability, sensitivity to change), feasibility and validity, were evaluated.

RESULTS

Of the 48 included studies, 10 provided data on reliability, 11 on sensitivity to change, four on feasibility and 36 on validity of radiographic scoring methods. Thirteen different scoring methods have been used in studies evaluating radiographic hand OA. The number of examined joints differed extensively and the obtained scores were analyzed in various ways. The reliability of the assessed radiographic scoring methods was good for all evaluated scoring methods, for both cross-sectional and longitudinal radiographic scoring. The responsiveness to change was similar for all evaluated scoring methods. There were no major differences in feasibility between the evaluated scoring methods, although the evidence was limited. There was limited knowledge about the validity of radiographic OA findings compared with clinical nodules and deformities, whereas there was better evidence for an association between radiographic findings and symptoms and hand function.

CONCLUSIONS

Several radiographic scoring methods are used in hand OA literature. To enhance comparability across studies in hand OA, consensus has to be reached on a preferred scoring method, the examined joints and the used presentation of data.