title: Does long term colchicine prevent degradation of collagen fiber network in osteoarthritis?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Several studies have shown that colchicine exhibits an improvement in the symptoms of knee osteoarthritis (OA) but its effect on disease progression is unknown. To clarify the mechanism of action this study was done to see if colchicine prevents degradation of collagen fiber network in OA by studying serum cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) levels, a marker of cartilage turnover, over a period of 1 year.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-five patients received colchicine plus paracetamol and 75 received placebo alone for the same time period. Serum COMP assays were done at baseline, 2 months and 1 year by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. These markers were compared between visits using repeated measures analysis of variance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum COMP levels in the paracetamol-alone group did not show significant change between baseline and 2 months; however, there was a significant increase in serum COMP levels from 2 months to 1 year, suggesting increased uncoupling of proteoglycans from collagen and disease progression. No such change was seen in the colchicine group, signifying lack of progression of disease in this group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Colchicine may act as a disease-modifying agent in OA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, K.G. Medical University, Lucknow, India.
authors.forename: Ragini
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Srivastava
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, K.G. Medical University, Lucknow, India.
authors.forename: Siddharth K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Das
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, K.G. Medical University, Lucknow, India.
authors.forename: Gautam
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Goel
authors.affiliation: Department of Statistics, Lucknow University, Lucknow, India.
authors.forename: Akash
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Asthana
authors.affiliation: Department of Statistics, Lucknow University, Lucknow, India.
authors.forename: Girdhar G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Agarwal
mesh_terms: D000082:Acetaminophen / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D064236:Cartilage Oligomeric Matrix Protein / Q000097:blood; D003078:Colchicine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D018450:Disease Progression; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D024022:Fibrillar Collagens / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D059748:Proteolysis; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000082:Acetaminophen; D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D064236:Cartilage Oligomeric Matrix Protein; D003078:Colchicine; D024022:Fibrillar Collagens; C577553:TSP5 protein, human
keywords: COMP; Colchicine; collagen; osteoarthritis