Effect of intraarticular hyaluronan injection on vertical ground reaction force and progression of osteoarthritis after anterior cruciate ligament transection.
OBJECTIVE
To determine if intraarticular (IA) injection of hyaluronan (HA) into the canine knee after anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT) alters the progression of osteoarthritis (OA) and the perception of pain in this model.


METHODS
OA was induced in 30 adult dogs of mixed breed by ACLT. The dogs were divided into 3 groups and given 5 weekly IA injections into the unstable knee during Weeks 1-5 and 13-17. The prophylactic treatment group received HA in the first series and saline during the second series. The therapeutic group received saline in the first series and HA in the second series. The control group received saline during both injection series. The progression of joint damage of OA was evaluated by arthroscopy 12 weeks after ACLT and by gross examination 32 weeks after ACLT. Histologic and biochemical changes of OA were evaluated. Loading of the unstable limb during gait was determined by force-plate analysis before surgery, after each series of injections, and the week before euthanasia.


RESULTS
Arthroscopic examination 12 weeks after ACLT revealed OA changes in the cruciate-deficient knees. Chondropathy scores ranged from 0 to 8 (possible range 0-65). The mean chondropathy score was 2.5 +/- 1.3 (mean +/- SD) for the controls, 2.5 +/- 2.5 for the therapeutic group, and 2.1 +/- 1.3 for the prophylactic group. At the termination of the experiment 32 weeks after ACLT, the gross chondropathy scores were 14.0 +/- 5.2 for controls, 17.6 +/- 6.8 for the therapeutic group, and 13.3 +/- 5.0 for the prophylactic group. There were no significant differences among the means of the gross scores, the histologic scores, or biochemical composition of articular cartilage. The peak vertical ground reaction force (VGRF) generated by the unstable limb was reduced by ~60% after ACLT, and slowly increased to ~75% of the baseline value over the 32 weeks after ACLT. HA injection had no effect on the VGRF or on the pathologic changes of OA.


CONCLUSIONS
Intraarticular HA injection did not alter the progression of OA in the cruciate-deficient canine knee or alter the loading of the unstable limb.
Smith
Gerald
G
Rheumatology Division, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.
Myers
Stephen L
SL
Brandt
Kenneth D
KD
Mickler
Elizabeth A
EA
Albrecht
Marjorie E
ME
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D016118:Anterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000601:surgery; D000070598:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries; D001182:Arthroscopy; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D018450:Disease Progression; D004285:Dogs; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007270:Injections, Intra-Articular; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013264:Stifle / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid