Canadian Journal of Pure & Applied Sciences

Abstract: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease, occurring primarily in older persons, characterized by erosion of the articular cartilage, hypertrophy of bone at the margins (i.e., osteophytes), subchondral sclerosis, and a range of biochemical and morphological alterations of the synovial membrane and joint capsule. In osteoarthritis free radicals may act as triggering factor for degenerative changes seen in cartilage. Oxidative stress leads to increased risk for osteoarthritis but the precise mechanism remains unclear. Sialic acid concentration varies physiologically with age, but its level may also be influenced by such condition as inflammation. The aim of this study was to investigate the changes in the serum sialic acid levels (TSA and LSA), ?-Carotene and super oxide dismutase (SOD) in patients with knee osteoarthritis. In this study 96 subjects divided into four groups, 33 patients with obese Knee OA and 25 patients non obese Knee OA, their age range (32-78). The other 38 subjects age and sex matched healthy subjects were studied as controls include 23 obese and 15 non obese. This study was conducted in AL-Kadhemiya Teaching Hospital during the period from October 2011 to April 2012. Serum total sialic acid level, lipid sialic acid, serum ?-Carotene and serum SOD were determined. A significant increase in serum sialic acid (TSA & LSA) levels were observed, while there were a significant decrease in serum ?-Carotene and SOD levels in patients with knee osteoarthritis when compared to healthy controls. The results of our study suggest higher oxygen free radical production, evidenced by decreased SOD and ?- Carotene levels support to the oxidative stress in knee osteoarthritis. The increase of serum TSA and LSA levels is associated positively with the presence of inflammation and could be suggested as one of the many markers for Knee osteoarthritis.