ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association of metabolic syndrome with the development of knee osteoarthritis. DESIGN: Cross-sectional nationwide survey study. SUBJECTS: Data obtained from the 2010-2012 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. METHODS: Subjects aged 50 years or older were included. Knee osteoarthritis (≥grade 2 Kellgren-Lawrence) and severe knee osteoarthritis (≥grade 3 Kellgren-Lawrence) were evaluated based on radiological findings. Medical information and demographic data were obtained from survey records. Multivariate regression analysis was performed to investigate the relationship between knee osteoarthritis and metabolic syndrome, and the number of metabolic syndrome components for dose-response relationship evaluation. Analyses were adjusted by age group (model 1) or by age group, education, smoking, alcohol consumption, and physical activity (model 2). RESULTS: A total of 8,491 subjects (3,684 men and 4,807 women) were included in the study. In women, metabolic syndrome increased the risk of knee osteoarthritis (odds ratio (OR) = 1.644, p <0.001; and OR = 1.608, p < 0.001; respectively; for models 1 and 2) and severe knee osteoarthritis (OR = 1.593, p < 0.001; and OR = 1.559, p < 0.001; respectively; for models 1 and 2). However, in men, knee osteoarthritis and severe knee osteoarthritis were not associated with metabolic syndrome. As the number of metabolic syndrome components increased, knee osteoarthritis and severe knee osteoarthritis generally increased in women, but not in men. CONCLUSION: Metabolic syndrome affects the development of knee osteoarthritis and severe knee osteoarthritis in women. In addition, dose-response relationships were observed between metabolic syndrome components and knee osteoarthritis in women, but not in men.
Subject(s)
Metabolic Syndrome/complications , Osteoarthritis, Knee/epidemiology , Osteoarthritis, Knee/etiology , Aged , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Humans , Knee Joint/diagnostic imaging , Male , Metabolic Syndrome/diagnostic imaging , Middle Aged , Multivariate Analysis , Nutrition Surveys , Odds Ratio , Osteoarthritis, Knee/diagnostic imaging , Radiography , Regression Analysis , Republic of Korea/epidemiology , Risk Factors , Sex FactorsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Axonal regeneration is a prerequisite for recovery from spinal cord injury. Here, we investigated whether Wnt3a-secreting fibroblasts exert a favorable effect on spinal cord regeneration in spinal cord-injured rats. METHODS: Spinal cord injury (SCI) was induced in rats (n = 21) using an NYU impactor. One week after SCI, rats were assigned to a Wnt3a-secreting fibroblast transplantation group (Wnt group, n = 7), a L929 fibroblast transplantation group (vehicle group, n = 7), and contusion only group (sham group, n = 7). Motor function was tested weekly for 6 weeks. Manganese-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (ME-MRI) was performed twice, once before cell transplantation and again 5 weeks after cell transplantation. After ME-MRI, expression of the axonal regeneration marker GAP-43 was assessed by immunohistochemistry (IHC). RESULTS: In the Wnt group, the mean Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan score was higher than that of the vehicle and sham groups throughout the observation period. The Wnt group also exhibited stronger signal intensity on ME-MRI, and IHC revealed that GAP-43 was highly expressed in the injured spinal cord in the Wnt group. CONCLUSIONS: These results strongly suggest that transplanted Wnt3a secreting fibroblasts promote axonal regeneration and functional improvement after SCI. Although further investigation will be necessary to clarify the intracellular mechanism by which Wnt signaling promotes axonal regeneration and functional improvement, this approach could be a highly promising therapeutic strategy for SCI.
