Investigation of osteochondral disease through finite element modeling

描述(申请人提供)：本建议将工程科学与生命科学相结合，以促进对关节损伤和退行性关节疾病的发病机制、风险因素和潜在治疗和预防方法的科学理解，目的是加强对这些疾病的医疗保健。在美国，肌肉骨骼疾病是导致残疾的主要原因之一，其中骨关节炎(OA)是最常见的。2002-2011十年已被宣布为骨与关节十年，这说明了这些疾病的重要性。它们影响男人和女人、老人和年轻人、人类和家养动物物种。有许多危险因素，其中一些是无法控制的，如遗传、性别和年龄，但另一些可以控制，如肌肉无力和关节形态。马和人类一样，也是运动员，也有类似的关节损伤和疾病，如软骨下骨坏死、骨折和骨性关节炎。因此，这项提议将马作为人类疾病的模型。这项建议的具体目标集中在3个方面：1)使用有限元(FE)方法开发马掌指关节的计算机模型；2)特定关节参数(如接触面积)与骨质量指标的相关性；3)应用有限元模型研究关节几何在骨软骨疾病中的作用。通过开发和验证计算机模型，可以单独和联合控制和研究各种因素，以确定它们与关节损伤和退变的可能相关性和贡献，从而集中临床 研究与骨软骨病的发生和发展有关的最有希望的因素。然后，同样的模型可以用来检查治疗和预防的方法。例如，它可以用来研究矫形术或手术如何改变关节内的生物力学负荷，以最大限度地减少可能导致骨骼建模异常的应力集中区域，或者肌肉强化如何稳定松弛的关节。虽然实际的技术和计算机模型将使用马来开发，但所获得的信息不仅对马有益，而且对人类也有好处，因为它增加了对骨软骨疾病的整体了解。马作为研究动物，可以进行侵入性测试，以验证模型的有效性。此外，这项研究将为在人类医学中使用类似技术奠定框架。公共卫生相关性：这项建议将加强对退行性关节疾病(如骨关节炎)的过程和风险因素的了解。对这些疾病有了更多的了解，就可以在治疗和预防方面取得进展。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This proposal integrates engineering sciences with the life sciences in order to advance scientific understanding of the pathogenesis, risk factors, and potential methods for treatment and prevention of joint injury and degenerative joint disease, with the goal of enhancing medical care of these diseases. Musculoskeletal diseases, of which osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common, are one of the leading causes of disability in the United States. The importance of these diseases is illustrated by the fact that the decade 2002-2011 has been declared the Bone and Joint Decade. They affect men and women, old and young, humans and domestic animal species. There are many risk factors, some of which cannot be controlled such as genetics, gender, and age, but others can be manipulated such as muscle weakness and joint conformation. Horses, like humans, are athletes and are subject to similar joint injuries and diseases such as subchondral bone necrosis, fracture, and OA. Therefore, this proposal uses the horse as a model for human disease. The specific aims of this proposal are focused into 3 areas: 1) The development of a computer model of the equine metacarpophalangeal joint using the finite element (FE) method; 2) The correlation of specific joint parameters such as contact area to measures of bone quality; 3) The application of the FE model to study the role of joint geometry in osteochondral disease. By developing and validating a computer model, various factors can be controlled and investigated separately and in conjunction to determine their possible relevance and contribution to joint injury and degeneration and thus focus clinical research on the most promising factors related to the initiation and progression of osteochondral disease. This same model can then be used to examine methods of treatment and prevention. For example, it can be used to investigate how orthotics or surgery can alter biomechanical loading within a joint in order to minimize areas of stress concentrations that can lead to abnormal bone modeling or how muscle strengthening can stabilize a lax joint. While the actual techniques and computer model will be developed using a horse, the information gained will benefit not only the horse, but humans as well by increasing the overall understanding of osteochondral disease. The horse as a research animal can allow for invasive testing for validation of the model. In addition, this research will set the framework for using similar techniques in human medicine. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: This proposal will enhance the understanding of the processes and risk factors underlying degenerative joint diseases such as osteoarthritis. With a greater understanding of these diseases, advancements in their treatment and prevention can be made.