Biochemical markers in the synovial fluid of glenohumeral joints from patients with rotator cuff tear

It is known that rotator cuff tears are sometimes accompanied by joint dest ruction. Our purpose was to elucidate the pathology with this condition. Th irty-two synovial fluid (SF) samples aspirated from the glenohumeral joints of patients with rotator cuff tears, including 7 with partial-thickness an d 25 with full-thickness tears of the rotator cuff (10 massive and 15 isola ted supraspinatus tendon (SSp) tears), were examined. Collagenase (MMP-1), stromelysin 1 (MMP-3), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1) an d carboxy-terminal type II procollagen peptide (pCOL II-C) were measured in the SF using the respective sandwich enzyme immunoassays. Glycosaminoglyca n (GAG) was also quantified with a cationic dye binding method using 1,9-di methylmethylene blue. Levels of any molecules except pCOL II-C in the SF ap peared to be higher in full-thickness tears than those in partial-thickness tears. Moreover, levels of MMP-1, MMP-3 and GAG in the SF were significant ly higher in massive tears of the rotator cuff in comparison with those in isolated SSp tears. Such significance was not observed in the levels of TIM P-1 or pCOL II C in the SF. We examined the relation of those levels with o perative findings or clinical parameters from full-thickness tears, and obs erved significant correlations of the tear size with the levels of MMP-1, M MP-3 and GAG in the SF. Although these marker molecules in SF do not always originate from cartilage, our results may indicate the potential for accel erated cartilage-degrading activity in the glenohumeral joint in massive te ars of the rotator cuff. (C) 2001 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published b y Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.