title: Effects of exercise therapy on knee joint function and synovial fluid cytokine levels in patients with knee osteoarthritis.
abstract: The aims of this study were to observe the effect of exercise therapy on the function of the knee joint and the levels of cytokines and cytokine-related genes, specifically tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3), in the synovial joints of patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) and to explore its mechanism of action. A total of 100 KOA patients were divided into a treatment group (n=50) and a control group (n=50) according to the order of admission. The patients in the treatment group were treated with diclofenac sodium combined with exercise therapy and the patients in the control group were treated with diclofenac sodium only. The function of the knee joint and the therapeutic efficacy was evaluated and the TNF-α, hs-CRP and MMP-3 levels in the synovial fluid were measured following 4 weeks of treatment. The results revealed that the knee joint index score and the TNF-α, hs-CRP and MMP-3 levels in the synovial fluid decreased significantly in the KOA patients of the two groups following treatment (P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the knee joint index score and the TNF-α, hs-CRP and MMP-3 levels in the synovial joints were lower and the therapeutic efficacy was increased in the patients of the treatment group (P<0.05). In brief, exercise therapy may decrease cytokine and cytokine-related gene levels in the synovial fluid and inhibit inflammatory factor-mediated cartilage degradation in KOA patients, thus, effectively improving the clinical symptoms of KOA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Technology, Yancheng Health Vocational and Technical College, Yancheng 224006, PR China. shaolan2004@126.com
authors.forename: Shao-Lan
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Hong-Qi
authors.initials: HQ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xiao-Zu
authors.initials: XZ
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhi
authors.forename: Jiao-Jiao
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Geng
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019278:Matrix Metalloproteinase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D013582:Synovial Fluid / Q000378:metabolism*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D019278:Matrix Metalloproteinase 3