title: Modulation of the intramedullary pressure responses by calcium dobesilate in a rabbit knee model of osteoarthritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The presence of bone marrow edema in patients with osteoarthritis is associated with pain and disease progression. Management of bone edema with the synthetic prostacyclin iloprost may be complicated by side effects. Calcium dobesilate, a treatment for chronic venous disease, shares some pharmacological actions with iloprost but appears to be better tolerated. Anecdotal reports have suggested that calcium dobesilate may be useful for medical management of osteoarthritis, possibly by reducing bone marrow edema, and this study was performed to investigate possible benefits of treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  The effects of a 6-week period of oral calcium dobesilate administration on tibial intramedullary pressure dynamics and physical joint characteristics were evaluated in 20 rabbits with unilaterally induced knee osteoarthritis that were randomly allocated to either a treatment group or a placebo control group. Treatment or placebo started 8 weeks after induction of osteoarthritis, and was followed by a 4-week washout period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Calcium dobesilate did not affect joint thickness or range of motion, nor individual pressure measurements, compared to placebo. Pressure ranges in the operated limb were greater than in the intact limb after 8 weeks, and approached those of the intact limb after 6 weeks of treatment with calcium dobesilate but not with placebo. Inter-limb differences were lower (p = 0.02) in the dobesilate group following the washout period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Calcium dobesilate had a detectable effect on pressure dynamics in the subchondral bone of osteoarthritic joints in this model. The significance of these effects for pain and function should be established.
authors: Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences (LIFE), University of Copenhagen, Denmark. jami@life.ku.dk
authors: James E
authors: JE
authors: Miles
authors: Asger
authors: A
authors: Wenck
authors: Christian
authors: C
authors: Fricker
authors: Eiliv L
authors: EL
authors: Svalastoga
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002123:Calcium Dobesilate / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004487:Edema / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011312:Pressure; D011817:Rabbits; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D013977:Tibia / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D002123:Calcium Dobesilate