Changes in the coxofemoral articular cartilage in Wistar rats after systemic administration of corticoids.

A structural, ultrastructural and morphometric study of the coxofemoral articular cartilage of 48 Wistar rats was carried out after daily intramuscular injections of 2.5 mg prednisolone. The animals were divided into four groups, members of which were killed 15, 30, 60 and 90 days respectively after the start of the experiment. A degenerative process developed in the experimental animals, which led progressively to the death of chondrocytes in the middle zone of the articular cartilage after 90 days. Structural, ultrastructural and morphometric alterations were observed, both in cells and in the cartilage matrix. These gave rise to superficial changes in the femoral head.