RESUMO
Objective To investigate the effect of Kinesio Taping on interleukin-1β(IL-1β),tumor necrosis factor α(TNF-α)and matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3)in synovial fluid of patients with knee osteoarthritis in early and middle stage.Methods A total of 84 patients with knee osteoarthritis who met the inclusion/exclusion criteria were randomly selected and divided into the control group treated with placebo(kinesiology tape without elasticity)and the experimental group treated with Kinesio Tape.Both two tapes were changed every two days,with 15 times of changes as a course of treatment.Synovial fluid sample was drawn before and one week after treatment,and was used for measuring Levels of 1L-1β,TNF-α and MMP-3 by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).and knee function was evaluated before and 1 week after treatment.Results Compared with pre-treatment,the levels of IL-1β,TNF-α and MMP-3 in synovial fluid were significantly decreased in the experimental group after treatment [(20.07 ± 6.94) ng/Lvs.(38.12 ± 5.93) ng/L,(42.42±8.76)ng/Lvs.(58.23±9.54)ng/L,(11.28±1.99)μg/L vs.(15.67±2.21)μg/L,t =12.81,7.91 and 9.57,all P＜0.05].The levels of IL-1β,TNF-α and MMP-3 in synovial fluid were lower in the experimental group after treatment than before treatment[(20.07±6.94)ng/L vs.(38.12±5.93)ng/L,(42.42±8.76)ng/L vs.(58.23±9.54)ng/L,(11.28 ±1.99)μg/L vs.(15.67±2.21)ng/L,t =12.81,7.91 and 9.57,all P＜0.05],and were lower in the experimental group after treatment than in control after treatment[(20.07±6.94)ng/L vs.(37.97±6.21)ng/L,(42.42±8.76)ng/L vs.(57.04 ±8.73)ng/L,(11.28± 1.99)μg/Lvs.(15.01± 2.56)μg/L,t =12.46,7.66 and 7.46,all P＜0.05]Lysholm score was significantly higher in the experimental group after treatment than before treatment[(74.5 ± 2.6) vs.(44.7 ± 2.8),t =50.54,P ＜0.05],and was also higher in the experimental group after treatment than in the control group after treatment[(74.5±2.6) vs.(50.2± 2.3),t =45.37,P＜0.05].Conclusions Kinesio Taping can significantly reduce the levels of IL-1β,TNF-α and MMP-3 in synovial fluid of patients with knee osteoarthritis through inhibiting the inflammatory response in articular cavity.