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Open Access 01-12-2020 | Osteoarthrosis | Research article

Histomorphometric case-control study of subarticular osteophytes in patients with osteoarthritis of the hip

Authors: Rasmus Klose-Jensen, Andreas Wiggers Nielsen, Louise Brøndt Hartlev, Jesper Skovhus Thomsen, Lene Warner Thorup Boel, Mogens Laursen, Kresten Krarup Keller, Ellen-Margrethe Hauge

Published in: BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders | Issue 1/2020

Abstract

Objective

The objective of this cross-sectional case-control study was to determine the prevalence and size of marginal and subarticular osteophytes in patients with osteoarthritis (OA), and to compare these to that of a control group.

Design

We investigated femoral heads from 25 patients with OA following hip replacement surgery, and 25 femoral heads from a control group obtained post-mortem. The area and boundary length of the femoral head, marginal osteophytes, and subarticular osteophytes were determined with histomorphometry. Marginal osteophytes were defined histologically as bony projections at the peripheral margin of the femoral head, while subarticular osteophytes were defined as areas of bone that expanded from the normal curvature of the femoral head into the articular cartilage.

Results

The prevalence of OA patients with marginal- and subarticular osteophytes were 100 and 84%, respectively. Whereas the prevalence of the participants in the control group with marginal- and subarticular osteophytes were 56 and 28%, respectively.

The area and boundary length of marginal osteophytes was (median (Interquartile range)) 165.3mm² (121.4–254.0) mm² and 75.1 mm (50.8–99.3) mm for patients with OA compared to 0 mm² (0–0.5) mm² and 0 mm (0–0.5) mm for the control group (P < 0.001). For the subarticular osteophytes, the area and boundary length was 1.0 mm² (0–4.4) mm² and 1.4 mm (0–6.5) mm for patients with OA compared to 0 mm² (0–0.5) mm² and 0 mm (0–0.5) mm for the control group (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

As expected, both marginal- and subarticular osteophytes at the femoral head, were more frequent and larger in patients with OA than in the control group. However, in the control group, subarticular osteophytes were more prevalent than expected from the minor osteophytic changes at the femoral head margin, which may suggest that subarticular osteophytes are an early degenerative phenomenon that ultimately might develop into clinical osteoarthritis.

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Title: Histomorphometric case-control study of subarticular osteophytes in patients with osteoarthritis of the hip
Authors: Rasmus Klose-Jensen
Andreas Wiggers Nielsen
Louise Brøndt Hartlev
Jesper Skovhus Thomsen
Lene Warner Thorup Boel
Mogens Laursen
Kresten Krarup Keller
Ellen-Margrethe Hauge
Publication date: 01-12-2020
Publisher: BioMed Central
Keywords: Osteoarthrosis
Osteoarthrosis
Published in: BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders / Issue 1/2020
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2474
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-020-03648-w

At a glance: The ONWARDS insulin icodec trials

Springer Medicine

Histomorphometric case-control study of subarticular osteophytes in patients with osteoarthritis of the hip

Abstract

Objective

Design

Results

Conclusion

At a glance: The ONWARDS insulin icodec trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Objective

Design

Results

Conclusion

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