title: High levels of synovial fluid osteoprotegerin (OPG) and increased serum ratio of receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappa B ligand (RANKL) to OPG correlate with disease severity in patients with primary knee osteoarthritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Evaluation of serum and synovial fluid OPG and sRANKL in 37 patients with primary knee osteoarthritis.
  
  
  METHODS
  OPG and sRANKL were measured using ELISA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  OPG, sRANKL and sRANKL/OPG were increased in osteoarthritis patients' serum. Synovial OPG was higher than serum OPG, while sRANKL/OPG was higher in the serum; both correlated with disease severity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  RANKL/OPG pathway is implicated in the pathogenesis of knee osteoarthritis being a suitable target for therapeutic intervention.
authors: Second Department of Orthopaedics, University of Athens School of Medicine, Athens, Greece.
authors: Anastasia
authors: A
authors: Pilichou
authors: Ioannis
authors: I
authors: Papassotiriou
authors: Kelly
authors: K
authors: Michalakakou
authors: Smaragdi
authors: S
authors: Fessatou
authors: Emmanuel
authors: E
authors: Fandridis
authors: George
authors: G
authors: Papachristou
authors: Evangelos
authors: E
authors: Terpos
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism; D053244:Osteoprotegerin / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D053245:RANK Ligand / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D011859:Radiography; D053246:Receptor Activator of Nuclear Factor-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013582:Synovial Fluid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D053244:Osteoprotegerin; D053245:RANK Ligand; D053246:Receptor Activator of Nuclear Factor-kappa B