Vitamin D status in Dupuytren's disease: Association with clinical status and vitamin D receptor expression.

BACKGROUND: Dupuytren's disease (DD) is a progressive fibroproliferative condition involving contractures of the fascia of the palm. Up to now, there are no relevant investigations on patients with DD in case of serum vitamin D deficiency. We hypothesized that transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGF-ß1) is increased in patients with DD in consequence of vitamin D deficiency, thereby leading to myofibroblast differentiation and subsequent progression of contractures. METHODS: The aim of this study was to analyze serum vitamin D levels and explore possible clinical and immunohistochemical correlates with vitamin D concentrations in a group of patients with DD. Vitamin D levels were measured in all patients with DD and healthy controls. In the patient group, clinical characteristics were compared between vitamin D deficient and nondeficient subgroups. Diseased palmar fascia samples were obtained from 14 patients undergoing fasciectomy for DD. Correlations between vitamin D levels and vitamin D receptor(VDR), TGF-ß1 expression levels in collected fascia samples were evaluated. RESULTS: Vitamin D concentrations were significantly lower in patients than in healthy controls. In addition, total extension deficit of involved fingers was higher in vitamin D deficient patients. Moreover, a positive correlation was found between vitamin D levels and expression of VDR in pathologic fascia in patients undergoing fasciectomy for contracture. Serum vitamin D levels were found to be low in patients with DD. Expression of VDR was lower in the vitamin D deficient group. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest a potential link between vitamin D status and DD but causation is not yet established. The potential role of vitamin D and its interaction with VDR and the TGF-ß1 signaling pathway in the pathogenesis of DD needs to be explored further.

Radiocapitellar incongruity of the radial head in magnetic resonance imaging correlates with pathologic changes of the lateral elbow stabilizers in lateral epicondylitis.

OBJECTIVE: Post-traumatic posterolateral rotatory instability (PLRI) can be shown as radiocapitellar incongruity or posterior translation (PT) of the radial head in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We aimed to evaluate whether PT correlated with pathologic changes of lateral elbow stabilizers in patients with lateral epicondylitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In MRIs of 160 patients with lateral epicondylitis, we measured PT of the radial head in the sagittal images. We qualitatively graded five lesions of the lateral elbow structures that included common extensor tendon (CET) lesion (grade 1-3), lateral collateral ligament complex (LCLC) insufficiency (grade 0-2), and absence or presence of bone marrow signal change, osteochondral lesion, and calcification. We analyzed whether the PT correlated with pathologic changes of the lateral elbow stabilizers and evaluated the diagnostic value of the PT for severe lesions. RESULTS: The average PT was 1.9 mm. The PT correlated with both the CET lesion (p < 0.001) and LCLC insufficiency (p < 0.001). The optimal cutoff values of the PT for grade 3 CET lesion and grade 2 LCLC lesion were 2.6 and 2.8 mm, respectively. When potential PLRI was defined as the PT of > 3.4mm as suggested for post-traumatic PLRI, 21 patients had potential PLRI. The positive predictive values of the PT > 3.4mm were 76% for grade 3 CET lesions and 67% for grade 2 LCLC insufficiency. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that PT of the radial head correlates with pathological changes of the lateral elbow stabilizers. As radiocapitellar incongruity is easy to measure quantitatively, it can be used for screening potential PLRI in patients with lateral epicondylitis.

Revisiting Arthroscopic Partial Meniscectomy for Degenerative Tears in Knees With Mild or No Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the efficacy of arthroscopic partial meniscectomy (APM) for symptomatic degenerative meniscal tear (DMT) in knees with mild or no osteoarthritis. STUDY DESIGN: A systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS: MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases were systematically searched. The inclusion criteria were as follows: (1) English language; (2) randomized controlled trial (RCT); (3) comparison between APM and other treatment modalities as a primary objective; and (4) complete DMT in knees with mild or no osteoarthritis. Mild or no arthritis was defined as Kellgren-Lawrence grade 0 to 2 or Ahlbäck 0 to 1 on radiography. Statistical analysis of functional activity and pain after APM and conservative treatment or sham operation was performed using R version 3.3.1. RESULTS: Five articles were included in the final analysis, and they were all RCTs. Four studies compared clinical results of APM with those for physical therapy, and one study compared APM with sham operation. The functional activity was not better in the APM group (296 cases) than in the conservative treatment or sham operation group (284 cases) (I: 0%, small level of heterogeneity). Pain was not reduced significantly in the APM group compared with that in the conservative treatment or sham operation group (I: 0∼90%, high level of heterogeneity). CONCLUSIONS: This systematic review and meta-analysis of high-quality literature provides relatively strong evidence that APM did not improve functional activity or reduce pain compared with the results with conservative treatment or sham operation in knees with mild or no osteoarthritis.

Failure of Pelvic Compensation in Patients With Severe Positive Sagittal Imbalance: Comparison Between Static Radiographs and Gait Analysis of Spinopelvic Parameters in Adult Spinal Deformity and Lumbar Stenosis.

STUDY DESIGN: Case-control study for motion analysis. OBJECTIVE: To compare spinopelvic parameters using static radiographs with the values obtained using motion analysis during gait between adult spinal deformity (ASD) or lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS). SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: It is still unclear whether measurement of radiological parameters using static radiographs can reflect natural sagittal balance during gait in the patients with severe positive sagittal imbalance. METHODS: In this age- and sex-matched case control study, a total of 40 patients, each 20 subjects with either ASD or LSS who were scheduled to undergo surgery were included. Both clinical outcomes and sagittal spinopelvic parameters, including sagittal vertical axis (SVA), lumbar lordosis (LL), pelvic tilt (PT), sacral slope (SS), and pelvic incidence (PI) were measured. In motion analysis during walking, the angle of anterior pelvic tilt and the angles of the pelvis, hip, and knee were estimated. The correlation between variables was analyzed. RESULTS: On standing lateral x-rays, SVA, PT, and PI - LL were significantly higher in the ASD group while SS and LL were significantly lower in the ASD group. However, on motion analysis, the average mean anterior pelvic tilt ±â€ŠSD values in the ASD group were 8.3 ±â€Š10.7 and 8.5 ±â€Š10.7 on the right and left, respectively, and were not different from matched values in the LSS group. A Bland-Altman plot demonstrated a good agreement between the SS in the x-ray and anterior pelvic tilt in the motion analysis. In the ASD group, SS and SVA showed a significant positive correlation with mean anterior pelvic tilt in motion analysis during gait. CONCLUSION: The present study showed that the failure of pelvic compensation would likely occur in patients with severe positive sagittal imbalance during walking. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3.