Clinical, biochemical, and histologic effects of intra-articular administration of autologous conditioned serum in horses with experimentally induced osteoarthritis.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the clinical, biochemical, and histologic effects of intra-articular administration of autologous conditioned serum (ACS) in the treatment of experimentally induced osteoarthritis in horses.


METHODS
16 horses.


METHODS
Osteoarthritis was induced arthroscopically in 1 middle carpal joint of all horses. In 8 placebo- and 8 ACS-treated horses, 6 mL of PBS solution or 6 mL of ACS was injected into the osteoarthritis-affected joint on days 14, 21, 28, and 35, respectively; PBS solution was administered in the other sham-operated joints. Evaluations included clinical assessment of lameness and synovial fluid analysis (performed biweekly); gross pathologic and histologic examinations of cartilage and synovial membrane samples were performed at necropsy.


RESULTS
No adverse treatment-related events were detected. Horses that were treated with ACS had significant clinical improvement in lameness, unlike the placebo-treated horses. Among the osteoarthritis-affected joints, ACS treatment significantly decreased synovial membrane hyperplasia, compared with placebo-treated joints; although not significant, the ACS-treated joints also appeared to have less gross cartilage fibrillation and synovial membrane hemorrhage. The synovial fluid concentration of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (assessed by use of mouse anti-interleukin-1 receptor antagonist antibody) was increased following treatment with ACS.


CONCLUSIONS
Results of this controlled study indicated that there was significant clinical and histologic improvement in osteoarthritis-affected joints of horses following treatment with ACS, compared with placebo treatment. On the basis of these findings, further controlled clinical trials to assess this treatment are warranted, and investigation of the mechanisms of action of ACS should be pursued concurrently.
Frisbie
David D
DD
Equine Orthopaedic Research Center, Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.
Kawcak
Christopher E
CE
Werpy
Natasha M
NM
Park
Richard D
RD
McIlwraith
C Wayne
CW
D000818:Animals; D001182:Arthroscopy; D002350:Carpus, Animal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000293:injuries / Q000473:pathology; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000473:pathology; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006736:Horses; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007270:Injections, Intra-Articular; D053590:Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D013582:Synovial Fluid / Q000737:chemistry
D007155:Immunologic Factors; D053590:Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein