RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Effect of intraarticular hyaluronan injection on synovial fluid hyaluronan in the early stage of canine post-traumatic osteoarthritis.
JF The Journal of Rheumatology
JO J Rheumatol
FD The Journal of Rheumatology
SP 1341
OP 1346
VO 28
IS 6
A1 G N Smith, Jr
A1 E A Mickler
A1 S L Myers
A1 K D Brandt
YR 2001
UL http://www.jrheum.org/content/28/6/1341.abstract
AB OBJECTIVE: To determine how the quantity and molecular weight of synovial fluid hyaluronan (HA) within the synovial fluid (SF) of osteoarthritis (OA) joints is affected by intraarticular injection of HA. METHODS: Dogs in which OA was induced by transection of the anterior cruciate ligament received 5 weekly injections of HA (1.5 x 10(6) Da) in saline (10 mg/0.67 ml) or an equal volume of saline into the operated knee, beginning the day after surgery. Immediately before each injection, SF was aspirated and the volume of SF and the concentration of HA was measured (uronic acid), and the molecular weight of the HA in each sample was estimated by electrophoresis in agarose. RESULTS: The volume of SF in the unstable knee increased after surgery, and the molecular weight decreased from approximately 2.5 x 10(6) Da to approximately 2 x 10(6) Da. Injection of HA did not affect the volume of SF or average molecular weight of HA in samples obtained immediately before each injection or at the end of the experiment, 12 weeks after surgery. The SF HA concentration fell from a baseline value of 2.3 +/- 0.1 mg/ml to 1.1 +/- 0.2 mg/ml the day after surgery and remained low throughout the course of injections. The HA concentration 12 weeks after surgery in the HA injected knees was approximately 40% lower than the preoperative value, although it increased slightly relative to saline injected knees (1.4 +/- 0.3 vs 1.1 +/- 0.01 mg/ml, respectively; p = 0.04). CONCLUSION: Intraarticular injection of HA did not alter the volume of SF or molecular weight of HA in SF of OA canine knees, nor did it restore the HA concentration to that of normal canine SF.