Synovial prostaglandin E2 concentration and ultrasonographic examination and its correlation with lameness score in equine experimental osteoarthritis

Abstract

Osteoarthritis is a common joint disease that can lead to sports disability, mainly characterized by an inflammatory process that results in progressive chondral deterioration, as well bone alterations and adjacent soft tissues disorders. This disease is a frequent cause of lameness in athletic horses, and results in a severe loss of chondral integrity, causing significant pain, bone remodeling and consequent decrease on joint function. Thus, this study aims an experimental osteoarthritis follow up through synovial PGE2 concentration and ultrasound examination, performing the correlation of this results with lameness scores detected in the experimental horses. To achieve this, eight horses will be used, four males and four females, crossbred Mangalarga. These experimental horses will be submitted to arthroscopic surgery for osteoarthritis induction, through chondral grooves, in the left metacarpophalangeal joints. The surgery will mark the T0 of the study, and after arthroscopy (T0), the horses will be assessed every five days, until seven time-points evaluations (T1 to T7). From T0 to T7, lameness assessments will be performed, through visual examination with 0 to 10 score, and with the Lameness Locator® software, in addition to ultrasonography scoring through predefined parameters and synovial fluid measurement of prostaglandin E2. The correlation among these parameters, considering the intra-articular concentration of PGE2, ultrasonographic disorders and lameness scores, will be investigated through statistical analysis, being able to improve the diagnosis and monitoring of osteoarthritis in horses.