RESUMEN
Objective To explore the changes and clinical significance of joint fluid TNF-α and TNF-β1 levels in patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA). Methods A total of 90 patients with KOA hospitalized in our hospital were selected. They were assigned to group A with 30 patients at early stage, group B with 30 patients at medium stage,and group C with 30 patients at advanced stage according to the stage of X ray; 30 healthy volunteers were in the con-trol group. Levels of joint fluid TNF-αand TNF-β1 were tested in four groups of patients. Results Levels of joint fluid TNF-β1 at medium and advanced stages of KOA were significantly lower than those in the control group, and the dif-ferences were significant (P<0.01); Levels of joint fluid TNF-α at medium and advanced stages of KOA were signifi-cantly higher than those in the control group, and the differences were significant(P<0.01); the difference of levels of joint fluid TNF-α and TNF-β1 at early stage of KOA was not significant compared with those in the control group(P>0.05);levels of TNF-α/TNF-β1 at early,medium and advanced stage of KOA were significantly higher than those in the control group(P<0.01);TNF-αwas positively correlated with KOA stage(r=0.930,P<0.01);TNF-β1 was nega-tively correlated with KOA stage(r=-0.849,P<0.01);TNF-α/TNF-β1 was positively correlated with KOA stage(r=0.828,P<0.01). Conclusion TNF-α and TNF-β1 are involved in the formation and progression of OA, and levels of joint fluid TNF-α and TNF-β1 are able to reflect the severity of KOA lesions; joint fluid TNF-α/TNF-β1 is able to detect KOA early.