Quantificiation of soft tissue integrity related to knee osteoarthritis

骨关节炎(OA)是一种使人衰弱的疾病，影响着大约300万加拿大人，占加拿大人口的10%。尽管许多研究人员已经假设了膝关节内机械负荷的改变与骨关节炎进展之间的联系，但还没有为这种联系建立明确的公式。此外，大多数人认为骨性关节炎是一种只影响关节软骨的疾病，而实际上关节中的所有组织都被这种疾病改变了。这项建议中概述的研究将检查一些较少研究的膝关节软组织的变化，如关节囊和半月板，以改变结构和对载荷的机械反应。组织样本将从动物模型中获得，以便对疾病的进展进行时间控制的观察，从最初的损伤到导致退行性骨关节炎。样本将通过检查整个膝关节的医学成像技术以及最先进的小组织样本双轴测试进行分析。还将进行生化和组织学分析，以量化组织成分和组织。这项工作可能有助于量化发生在骨关节炎的机械降解和组织结构组织之间的联系。一旦我们对这种关系有了更好的了解，我们就能更好地更早地进行干预，并改进影响到如此多加拿大人的这种疾病的治疗方案。

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a debilitating disease affecting approximately three million, or 10% of Canadians. Although many researchers have hypothesized a link between altered mechanical loading within the knee joint and osteoarthritis progression, no definitive formula for this connection has been made. In addition, most people believe OA is a disease that affects articular cartilage alone, when in fact all tissues in the joint are modified by the disease. The research outlined in this proposal will examine the changes to some of the lesser studies soft tissues of the knee joint such as the joint capsule and meniscus, for both altered structure and mechanical response to loading. The tissue samples will be obtained from an animal model, to allow for a time controlled look at the disease progression, from the initial injury that leads to degenerative OA. Samples will be analyzed through medical imaging techniques examining the entire knee joint, as well as state-of-the art small tissue sample biaxial testing. Biochemical and histological analyses will also be conducted to quantify tissue constituents and organization. This work may help to quantify a link between the mechanical degradation and tissue structural organization that occurs with OA. Once we have an improved understanding of this relation, we will be in a better position to intervene earlier, and with improved treatment options for this disease affecting so many Canadians.