The role of subchondral bone in joint disease: a review

Subchondral bone plays a role in the pathogenesis of osteochondral damage a nd osteoarthritis in horses and humans. Osteochondral fragmentation and fra cture, subchondral bone necrosis and osteoarthritis are common diseases in athletic horses, and subchondral bone is now thought to play an integral ro le in the pathogenesis of these diseases. There have been numerous research efforts focused on articular cartilage damage and its pathogenesis, yet co mparatively little effort focused on subchondral bone pathology or the coor dinated disease states of the osteochondral tissues. The purpose of this re port is to review the current understanding of osteochondral disease in all species and its application to equine research and practice. It can be con cluded from this review that our current understanding of osteochondral dis ease is based on clinical and pathological sources; and that the lack of in formation about joint tissue adaptation and disease has hampered objective studies of osteochondral tissues.