Synovial osteoarthritis inflammation and its correlation with the level of radiologically assessed

The objective of this study is the assessment of the correlation between synovial inflammation and affection of the joint confirmed radiologically in osteoarthritis (OA) patients. Twenty-one patients presented with advanced OA and underwent knee or hip endoprosthesis operation at the Riga East University Hospital Clinic “Gailezers” were enrolled in the study. Surgically obtained biopsy samples were routinely processed for histopathology and analyzed using the synovitis grading system proposed by Krenn et al.. Preoperative X-ray examination of affected joints was performed by using Kellgren and Lawrence radiological classification for OA. Pain assessment was performed using a visual analog pain scale (VAS) ranged from 0 to 10. Functional abilities of OA patients were estimated using Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC). Ten (47.6%) and 11 (52,4%) patients underwent knee and hip arthroplasty, respectively. Kellgren and Lawrence score varied from 3 (61.9%) to 4 (38.1%) in both groups, respectively. Mean Kellgren and Lawrence scores were equally distributed among groups (3,4). Mean WOMAC score was higher in the hip arthroplasty group ‒ 48.6 (SD 22) vs. knee group ‒ 46,7 (SD 16.3), with a range from 46 up to 81. The mean VAS scale value was measured as 6.7 (SD 1,2), with a range from 5 up to 8 and 5,4 (SD 1,6) and range from 3 to 7 defined for the knee and hip group, respectively. No correlation between Krenn score and Kellgren and Lawrence score was observed as well as no correlation was found between Krenn and WOMAC score. The study suggests the absence of a direct association between histopathologically and radiologically confirmed tissue damage in OA affected knee and hip joints. Likewise, no correlation between histopathology and WOMAC scores, reflecting the functional status of OA patients was found.