BACKGROUND:Osteoarthritis and osteoporosis are two aging-related degenerative diseases. There are a lot of studies on their correlation, but no consensus has been reached yet. OBJECTIVE: To examine the cross-sectional association between phalangeal bone mineral density and radiographic knee osteoarthritis. METHODS:A total of 2 855 participants were included in this study. Phalangeal bone mineral density and anteroposterior films of the bilateral knees were detected. A multivariable logistic analysis model was applied to test the relationship between phalangeal bone mineral density and radiographic knee osteoarthritis after adjusting a number of potential confounding factors. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:A positive association was observed between phalangeal bone mineral density and radiographic knee osteoarthritis in the model that was adjusted for sex, age, bone mass index, smoking status, alcohol drinking status, total energy intake, mean calcium intake, as wel as vitamin and Ca supplementation. This association existed in the total sample and the female subgroup, but not in the male. These findings suggest a positive relationship between phalangeal bone mineral density and radiographic knee osteoarthritis in the female subgroup, which means that bone mineral density is a protective factor to knee osteoarthritis.

BACKGROUND:Extensive studies have shown that transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) plays a positive role in relieving the pain caused by a variety of diseases. However, its exact effect to manage pain in patients with knee osteoarthritis is stil controversial. TENS is classified into h-TENS and l-TENS, but currently its respective role in relieving the pain caused by knee osteoarthritis is not clear yet. OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of h-TENS and l-TENS on pain relieving among patients with knee osteoarthritis. METHODS: A computer-based search was performed on PubMed, Embase and Cochrane database for randomized controled trials on TENS for the treatment of knee pain in patients with knee osteoarthritis which were reported before February 2014. Methodology quality of the trials was criticaly assessed and relative data were extracted. These studies were selected independently by two reviewers according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Meta-analysis was performed using Revman5.2 software. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:A total of 10 randomized controled trials involving 519 cases were included. The results of meta-analysis showed that the h-TENS group had significant effects on pain relief in knee osteoarthritis patients in comparison to the control group [MD=-0.56, 95%CI(-0.98,-0.15),P=0.008]; the l-TENS group had no significant effect on pain relief in knee osteoarthritis patients in comparison to the control group [MD=-0.13, 95%CI(-1.63, 1.38),P=0.87]; the h-TENS group had significant effect on pain relief in knee osteoarthritis patients in comparison to the l-TENS group [MD=-0.85, 95%CI(-1.32, -0.37), P=0.000 5]. These findings indicate that h-TENS performs something positive to reduce pain in knee osteoarthritis patients that l-TENS cannot do. Owing to the limitations of this study, further work is needed to determine the role of TENS in pain management among patients with knee osteoarthritis.

BACKGROUND:Ultrasonic therapy is one of several physical therapy modalities suggested for the management of pain and loss of function due to osteoarthritis. However, its effectiveness stil remains controversial in the previous studies.
OBJECTIVE:To analyze the effect of ultrasonic therapy for the treatment of relieving knee osteoarthritis pain.
METHODS:A retrieval of Pubmed, Ovid/Medline, Ovid/EMBASE, and Cochranee database was performed. The relevant literatures were manual y retrieved. The retrieval deadline was set on March 31, 2014. Randomized control ed trials on ultrasonic therapy of knee osteoarthritis were col ected.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:A total of eight studies of meta-analysis were accumulated. Among them, six studies adopted visual analog scale and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index, one study adopted visual analog scale only, and one study adopted Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index. Then the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index scores were transformed into visual analog scale scores for data analysis. There was a statistical difference between the groups in the visual analog scale pain score (standardized standard deviation:-0.51;95%confidence interval:-0.68,-0.33;P=0.05). Ultrasonic therapy is an effective method for knee osteoarthritis pain.

BACKGROUND: Articular cartilage degeneration is the main cause of osteoarthritis. Bone morphogenetic proteins play an important role in cartilage regeneration and repair. OBJECTIVE: To review the research progress of bone morphogenetic protein in the process of articular cartilage regeneration. METHODS: A computer-based online search of PubMed and Elsevier databases was performed using the keywords “bone morphogenetic proteins, BMPs, arthritis, osteoarthritis, OA, cartilage, chondrocyte” in English. A total of 272 papers were retrieved, 96 of which were included in final analysis. Another 27 papers related to concepts were also included. Therefore, 123 papers are finally included. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Bone morphogenetic proteins participate in many biological processes including cell proliferation, differentiation, migration, and apoptosis, and play an important role in the formation of bone and cartilage. Bone morphogenetic proteins participate in a variety of signaling pathway cascades by binding to different receptors, which can protect articular cartilage from cartilage destruction caused by inflammation and trauma. Bone morphogenetic proteins alone or in combination with other cytokines can repair cartilage defects improve degenerative lesions, and promote the differentiation and regeneration of articular chondrocytes. However, there are still some practical problems that need to be solved for the widespread use of bone morphogenetic proteins in cartilage regeneration, such as the safety of drug transporters, the lack of effective biological scaffold materials, the optimal dosage and time point of use of biological agents, and their toxic and side effects. Future research will focus on how to solve the above problems. The widespread application of bone morphogenetic proteins will open a new era for targeted treatment of cartilage damage and cartilage degenerative diseases represented by osteoarthritis.

BACKGROUND:Symptomatic treatment is the main management strategy for patients with knee osteoarthritis at early metaphase. Some previous studies have demonstrated that neuromuscular electrical stimulation can al eviate pain in knee osteoarthritis patients. To date, this effectiveness, however, stil remains controversial.
OBJECTIVE:To assess the efficacy of neuromuscular electrical stimulation on pain in patients with knee osteoarthritis.
METHODRandomized control ed trials concerning the efficacy of neuromuscular electrical stimulation in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis were identified from the Medline database conducted up to July 3, 2014. These studies were selected independently by two reviewers according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Meta-analysis was performed using Revman5.2 software.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:A total of 5 randomized control ed trials consisting of 239 participants were included. The results of the meta-analysis indicate neuromuscular electrical stimulation has no significant impact on measure of pain in knee osteoarthritis patients in comparison to the blank control group [mean difference=-0.40, 95%confidence interval (-1.34-0.54), P=0.40]. Owing to the sample limitations of our study, it is hard for us to draw a conclusion that the application of neuromuscular electrical stimulation in managing pain in patients with knee osteoarthritis is of little significance. Further work based on large-sample and high-quality randomized control ed trials is needed to determine the role of neuromuscular electrical stimulation in pain in this population.

BACKGROUND:Reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament has become the gold-standard treatment for an anterior cruciate ligament rupture. Despite the popularity of the procedure, there remains a considerable amount of controversies over whether an autograft or anal ograft should be used for primary anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. OBJECTIVE:To compare the clinical outcomes of al ograft and autograft in primary anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. METHODS:Randomized control ed trials concerning autograft versus non-irradiated al ograft for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction were identified from the PubMed/Medline database conducted up to July 12, 2014. These studies were selected independently by two reviewers according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Meta-analysis was performed using Revman5.2 software. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:A total of 6 randomized control ed trials consisting of 858 cases were included, 441 cases in autograft group and 417 cases in non-irradiated al ograft. The results of the meta-analysis indicate no significant difference between autografts and non-irradiated al ografts in overal IKDC [relative risk (RR)=1.02, 95%confidence interval (CI) (0.99 to 1.06), P=0.21], degree of laxity [mean difference (MD)=-0.13, 95%CI (-0.29 to-0.02), P=0.09], Lachman test [RR=1.04, 95%CI (0.95 to 1.13), P=0.37], pivot shift test [RR=1.00, 95%CI (0.95 to 1.05), P=0.96], one-leg hop test [RR=1.01, 95%CI (0.96 to 1.06), P=0.77], Lysholm score [MD=-0.64, 95%CI (-1.45 to 0.17), P=0.12], Tegner score [MD=0.16, 95%CI (-0.16 to 0.47), P=0.34] and rate of postoperative complications [RR=1.42, 95%CI (0.67 to 3.04), P=0.36]. Therefore, in the meta-analysis, there is no significant difference between autograft and non-irradiated al ograft in clinical outcomes. However due to the limitations of our study, further work is needed to determine this conclusion.

Objective:To observe the changes in acromiaohumeral distance(AHD) in patients undergoing the modified arthroscopic double-button Latarjet procedure for recurrent anterior shoulder dislocation complicated with glenoid bone defect.Methods:A retrospective study was performed of the 52 patients who had undergone the modified arthroscopic double-button Latarjet procedure from October 2014 to October 2016 at Department of Sports Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital to Shenzhen University for recurrent anterior shoulder dislocation complicated with glenoid bone defect. They were 33 males and 19 females, having 30 left and 22 right shoulders affected. Their ages ranged from 19 to 45 years(mean, 29.6 years). Their glenoid bone defects ranged from 17% to 30%(mean, 23.4%). CT scans were performed on the surgery side to observe the healing and reshaping of the bone grafts and to measure the AHDs of healthy shoulder, immediately, 6, 18 and 36 months after operation. Their American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons(ASES), Rowe and Walch-Duplay scores were recorded before operation and at the final follow-up for comparison.Results:The follow-up time for this series ranged from 37 to 44 months (mean, 40.6 months). The AHDs at immediate postoperation(9.6 mm ± 0.7 mm), 6 months postoperation(8.6 mm ± 0.9 mm), 18 months postoperation (8.0 cm ± 0.8 cm) and 36 months postoperation(7.9 cm ± 0.8 cm) were significantly wider than the healthy side value (7.8 mm ± 0.8 mm)( P<0.05). The ASES, Rowe and Walch-Duplay scores at the final follow-up (93.9±3.2, 94.5±2.7 and 95.7±3.6) were significantly improved than the preoperative values (67.3±9.1, 40.1±4.2 and 63.5±9.0) ( P<0.05). The final follow-ups observed no symptoms or signs of chronic shoulder pain, rotator cuff injury or acromion impingement. Conclusion:As the AHD becomes wider rather than narrower after arthroscopic double-button Latarjet procedure for recurrent anterior shoulder dislocation complicated with glenoid bone defect, no subsequent rotator cuff injury may happen due to the uplift of the humeral head after the modified arthroscopic double-button Latarjet procedure.