Abstract

ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND:
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease, occurring primarily in older persons. Although many factors initiate this disease, progress to overt OA needs many biological substances like IL-6 and IL-8 that reduce cartilage repair ability or like reactive species that induce cartilage destruction through direct degradation of matrix components.
OBJECTIVE:
To shed the light on the expression of serum IL-6 and IL-8 levels, and production of serum malondialdehyde level (marker of oxidative stress), then estimation of the correlation among serum IL-6, IL-8 and MDA levels in patients with knee osteoarthritis.
PATIENTS AND METHODS:
This study was conducted in AL-Kadhemiya Teaching Hospital during the period from April 2011 to December 2011. The study included two groups: knee osteoarthritis( KOA) group of patients and the control group. Each group was further sub-divided into: obese & non-obese according to their BMIs. Sixty osteoarthritic patients aged 40-70 years were chosen depending on medical history, clinical examination, and radiographic observations. 10 ml of blood needed for assessment of the above makers. Thirty healthy control (age and sex-matched) were enrolled in this study.
RESULTS:
Mean serum IL-6 and IL-8 levels were significantly higher in KOA patients compared to control group for both (P<0.001), with the highest levels seen in the obese KOA group. Mean serum MDA level was significantly higher in patients with KOA compared with that in control (P<0.001). Significant negative correlation was observed between serum IL-6 and IL-8 levels.
CONCLUSION:
IL-6, IL-8 & MDA have important role in the pathogenesis of KOA. Receptors of IL-6 and IL-8 on chondrocytes could be considered as target for future therapy of any arthritic inflammation and also to consider MDA reduction in patients with knee osteoarthritis, as part of treatment of osteoarthritis.