Department of Anatomy, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland.
J Anat. 2013 Jun;222(6):588-97. doi: 10.1111/joa.12051. Epub 2013 May 2.
The exact relationship between osteoporosis and osteoarthritis is still a matter for debate for many. The ovariectomised ewe is frequently used as a model for osteoporosis, resulting in significant alterations in bone morphometry and turnover in both trabecular and subchondral bone after 1 year. This study examines whether ovariectomy has any impact on development of osteoarthritis within the ovine stifle joint at the same time point. In addition, we investigate whether there are any significant correlations present between articular cartilage degeneration and alterations in microstructural parameters or turnover rates in the underlying bone. Twenty-two sheep were examined in this study; 10 of the sheep underwent ovariectomy and 12 were kept as controls. Five distinctive fluorochrome dyes were administered intravenously at 12-week intervals to both groups, to label sites of bone turnover. All animals were then sacrificed 12 months postoperatively. Although most specimens showed some evidence of osteoarthritis, no measurable difference between the two study groups was detected. Osteoarthritis was associated with a thinning of the subchondral plate, specifically the subchondral cortical bone; however, whereas previous studies have suggested a link between trabecular thinning and osteoarthritis, this was not confirmed. No correlation was found between osteoarthritis and bone turnover rates of either the subchondral trabecular bone or bone plate. In conclusion, despite the fact that ovariectomy results in marked morphological and structural changes in the ovine stifle joint at 1-year postoperatively, no evidence was found to suggest that it plays a direct role in the aetiology of osteoarthritis.
许多人仍在争论骨质疏松症和骨关节炎之间的确切关系。去卵巢绵羊通常被用作骨质疏松症的模型，导致在 1 年后，在小梁骨和软骨下骨中都出现了骨形态计量学和周转率的显著改变。本研究检查了在相同时间点，去卵巢是否会对羊膝关节内骨关节炎的发展产生任何影响。此外，我们还研究了关节软骨退变与骨下骨微结构参数或周转率的改变之间是否存在任何显著相关性。本研究共检查了 22 只绵羊，其中 10 只接受了卵巢切除术，12 只作为对照。两组动物均在 12 周的间隔内静脉注射了 5 种不同的荧光染料，以标记骨转换部位。所有动物在术后 12 个月时被处死。尽管大多数标本都显示出一些骨关节炎的证据，但两组之间没有发现可测量的差异。骨关节炎与软骨下板（特别是软骨下皮质骨）变薄有关；然而，虽然先前的研究表明小梁变薄与骨关节炎之间存在联系，但这一点并未得到证实。未发现骨关节炎与软骨下小梁骨或骨板的骨周转率之间存在相关性。总之，尽管卵巢切除术导致术后 1 年羊膝关节的形态和结构发生了明显的变化，但没有证据表明它在骨关节炎的发病机制中起直接作用。
