178 CORRELATION OF SERUM AND SYNOVIAL FLUID LEVELS OF AGGRECAN IN PATIENTS SUFFERING FROM END STAGE KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS

Aggrecan is a major constituent of joint cartilage. A prominent feature in joint disease is loss of Aggrecan. The aim of this study was to assess the relation between the concentration of Aggrecan in the synovial fluid of knee joint and this of the peripheral blood in patients suffering from end stage knee osteoarthritis 37 postmenopausal women suffering from end-stage idiopathic knee osteoarthritis, scheduled to undergo Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA), were enrolled in this study. Their mean age was 69.8 years (range: 49–81 years). The serum levels of Aggrecan were evaluated one day pre-operatively whether synovial fluid levels from fluid taken during the operation day. Patients suffering from any endocrine disorder, rheumatoid or other secondary arthritis or any other disease that could interfere with the cartilage homeostasis were excluded from the study. Concentrations of aggrecan turnover were measured with appropriate assays. Moderate correlation between serum and synovial fluid concentrations of aggrecan was revealed (r= 0, 337, p=0,197) Serum levels of aggrecan may be related to the synovial concentration of Aggrecan in patients suffering from end stage knee osteoarthritis. The possible significant relationship between these markers may be of value in assessing cartilage degradation in patients with involvement of a single joint with a blood sample. However this correlation needs to be further investigated