Bj. Ewers et Rc. Haut, Polysulphated glycosaminoglycan treatments can mitigate decreases in stiffness of articular cartilage in a traumatized animal joint, J ORTHOP R, 18(5), 2000, pp. 756-761
A single, blunt impact to the rabbit patellofemoral joint has been shown to
decrease the stiffness of retropatellar cartilage and increase the thickne
ss of the underlying bone. Polysulphated glycosaminoglycan treatments, on t
he other hand, have been shown to inhibit the degradation of articular cart
ilage and possibly increase synthesis of collagen and glycosaminoglycans in
experimental studies on diseased joints. The aim of the current study was
to examine the effect of early treatments with polysulphated glycosaminogly
cans on cartilage using an in vivo post-trauma animal model. The study used
24 Flemish Giant rabbits in three groups: control, impacted, and impacted
with treatment. Treatment consisted of intramuscular injections the day of
insult and every 4 days thereafter for 6 weeks. At 30 weeks after trauma, m
echanical tests were performed on the retropatellar cartilage to determine
its mechanical stiffness. The patellae were also grossly evaluated for surf
ace lesions on the retropatellar cartilage and histologically processed to
measure the thickness of the subchondral bone. The rabbits that received no
treatment had a statistically significant decrease in stiffness (modulus)
for the cartilage of the impacted patellae compared with that of the contra
lateral, unimpacted patellae and compared with the cartilage of rabbits in
the control group. The degradation in mechanical stiffness, however, was no
t observed in patellae of rabbits in the group receiving treatment. There w
as also a significant increase in the underlying thickness of the subchondr
al plate on the impacted patellae compared with that on the contralateral,
unimpacted sides for rabbits in both the treated and nontreated groups. In
conclusion, the polysulphated glycosaminoglycan treatments minimized a decr
ease in mechanical stiffness (modulus) of retropatellar articular cartilage
30 weeks after trauma. The mechanism by which the mechanical stiffness of
the cartilage was preserved is unknown.