Strontium ranelate retards disc degradation and improves endplate and bone micro-architecture in ovariectomized rats with lumbar fusion induced - Adjacent segment disc degeneration.

Objectives: Adjacent segment disc degeneration (ASDD) is one of the long-term sequelae of spinal fusion, which is more susceptible with osteoporosis. As an anti-osteoporosis drug, strontium ranelate (SR) has been reported to not only regulate bone metabolism but also cartilage matrix formation. However, it is not yet clear whether SR has a reversal or delaying effect on fusion-induced ASDD in a model of osteoporosis. Materials and methods: Fifth three-month-old female Sprague-Dawley rats that underwent L4-L5 posterolateral lumbar fusion (PLF) with spinous-process wire fixation 4 weeks after bilateral ovariectomy (OVX) surgery. Animals were administered vehicle (V) or SR (900 mg/kg/d) orally for 12 weeks post-PLF as follows: Sham+V, OVX + V, PLF + V, OVX + PLF + V, and OVX + PLF + SR. Manual palpation and X-ray were used to evaluate the state of lumbar fusion. Adjacent-segment disc was assessed by histological (VG staining and Scoring), histomorphometry (Disc Height, MVD, Calcification rate and Vascular Bud rate), immunohistochemical (Col-II, Aggrecan, MMP-13, ADAMTS-4 and Caspase-3), and mRNA analysis (Col-I, Col-II, Aggrecan, MMP-13 and ADAMTS-4). Adjacent L6 vertebrae microstructures were evaluated by microcomputed tomography. Results: Manual palpation and radiographs showed clear evidence of the fused segment's immobility. After 12 weeks of PLF surgery, a fusion-induced ASDD model was established. Low bone mass caused by ovariectomy can significantly exacerbate ASDD progression. SR exerted a protective effect on adjacent segment intervertebral disc with the underlying mechanism possibly being associated with preserving bone mass to prevent spinal instability, maintaining the functional integrity of endplate vascular microstructure, and regulating matrix metabolism in the nucleus pulposus and annulus fibrosus. Discussion: Anti-osteoporosis medication SR treatments not only maintain bone mass and prevent fractures, but early intervention could also potentially delay degenerative conditions linked to osteoporosis. Taken together, our results suggested that SR might be a promising approach for the intervention of fusion-induced ASDD with osteoporosis.

Clinical application of modified hip joint lateral position in femoral neck fracture.

BACKGROUND: To show the femoral neck better in hip lateral view of X-ray, we design a modified hip lateral view and then investigate the value in femoral neck fractures. METHODS: CT images of 10 normal hip joints for 3D reconstruction were selected, the Mimics Medical 21.0 was used, and rotating the proximal femur was to find the most suitable angle for showing the femoral neck well, designed the modified lateral view according to this angle. We collected 35 healthy cases and 35 femoral neck fractures as the normal and fracture group. And two groups were all taken hip anteroposterior view, cross-table lateral view and modified lateral view, which were analyzed by two radiologists to score the anatomical structures of the articular surface, femoral head, head neck junction, femoral neck, basal region and intertrochanteric region. Friedman test was used to analyze the score of femoral neck at different angles. T test and Wilcoxon signed-rank test were to compare inter-groups. RESULTS: The modified lateral view was designed as follows: The subjects were supine, with the sagittal axis biased toward the healthy side at an angle of approximately 20° to the long axis of the examination table, the hip joint flexed at 45°, the lower extremity abducted at 40°, the centerline inclined 45° toward the head and the centerline aligned with the center of the groin. The modified lateral view showed the femoral head, head neck junction and femoral neck more clearly than the cross-table lateral view, but the cross-table lateral view showed the femoral neck basal and intertrochanteric region better. In addition, the time of taking the modified lateral view was significantly less than the cross-table lateral view (normal group: 0.789 min ± 0.223 vs 0.623 min ± 0.207, P < 0.001; fracture group: 1.131 min ± 0.362 vs 0.946 min ± 0.390, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The modified lateral view can obtain a standard sagittal image of femoral neck, which can show the dislocation and angulation of the sagittal femoral neck fracture clearly, and improve the accuracy of diagnosis. And it is more convenient and easier for patients to cooperate, which is worthy promoting and applying in clinical work.

Clinical and Imaging Features of Desmoplastic Fibroma of Bone for Correct Diagnosis and Differentiation.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to analyze the clinical and imaging features of desmoplastic fibroma of bone (DFB) for correct diagnosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty patients with DFB confirmed by pathology were enrolled, and the imaging presentations were analyzed. Among 20 patients, plain X-ray was performed in all patients, computed tomography (CT) was performed in 12, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was conducted on eight. The clinical and imaging presentations were analyzed and classified to assist in correct diagnosis. RESULTS: Twenty patients with DFB were retrieved, including eleven males and nine females with an age range of 2-52 years (median 27). The DFB involved the femur in six patients, ilium in five, tibia in four, humerus in two, lumbar vertebra in one, radius in one, and calcaneus in the remaining one. DFB was common in the metaphysis of long bones and could involve the diaphysis and epiphysis. The imaging presentations were divided into four types: the cystic expansile destruction in ten patients, osteolytic destruction in five, mixed destruction in four, and paraosseous destruction in one. CT value was 30 -60 Hu in the lesion area (6 cases CT value45Hu). In eight patients with MRI scanning, the lesion in five patients presented with unevenly equal or low signal on T1WI and unevenly equal or high signal on T2WI, with irregular stripes or patches of low signal on both T1WI and T2WI. In the rest three patients, the lesion was evenly equal or low signal on T1WI and evenly high signal on T2WI. MRI more clearly showed a mass in the adjacent soft tissue and the range of edema in the DFB lesion. CONCLUSION: DFB is a rare tumor with strong local aggressiveness, cystic bone destruction, formation of tumor bone trabeculae, soft tissue masses on imaging presentations, low signals on T1WI and T2WI in the lesion, but no periosteal reaction or calcification, which are helpful for diagnosis of the disease and differentiation from other ones.

Identification of the metabolites of rhapontigenin in rat and human by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry.

RATIONALE: Rhapontigenin, a stilbene compound isolated from the medicinal plant of rhubarb rhizomes, has shown a variety of biological activities. The purpose of this study was to identify and characterize the metabolites of rhapontigenin in rat liver microsomes, hepatocytes, urine, and human liver microsomes and hepatocytes. METHODS: The samples were analyzed by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography combined with electrospray ionization quadrupole/orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q/Orbitrap-HRMS). The structures of the metabolites were interpreted by MS, MS/MS data, and elemental compositions. RESULTS: A total of 11 metabolites were detected and tentatively identified. M1, identified as piceatannol, was unambiguously identified using reference standard. Our results suggested that rhapontigenin was metabolized through the following pathways: (a) demethylation to produce piceatannol (M1), which further underwent oxidation to form ortho-quinone intermediate. This intermediate was reactive and conjugated with GSH (M10 and M11), which were further converted into N-acetyl-cysteine and excreted in urine. M1 also underwent sulfation (M8) and glucuronidation (M5); (b) direct sulfation, forming M6 and M7; and (c) direct glucuronidation to form M2, M3, and M4. Glucuronidation was a major metabolic pathway in hepatocytes and urine. CONCLUSIONS: The current study provides an overview of the metabolism of rhapontigenin, which is of great importance for us to understand the disposition of this compound.

The effect of distal radius fractures involving the distal radioulnar articular joint on forearm rotation.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to predict the function of the forearm rotation on the basis of the articular surface of the sigmoid notch from three-dimensional reconstruction images. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed patients who underwent volar plate fixation for intra-articular distal radius fractures (DRFs) in our institution between January 2017 and July 2019. The 3D image of the sigmoid notch on the fractured distal radius was reconstructed and looked up from the ulnar view to determine the existence of gaps or steps. Patients with or without gaps/steps on the sigmoid notch were included in the case group or control group, respectively. The patients' basic data and postoperative data were collected and compared. RESULTS: A total of 81 patients were included. There were 33 patients in the case group, and 48 patients in the control group. There was no significant difference between the two groups at baseline. The total range of motion (ROM) of rotation in the case group and control group was 130.3 ± 6.2° and 145.3 ± 6.7°, respectively (P < 0.001). The percentage of rotation ROM of contralateral limb in the case group and control group was 72.3 ± 3.1% and 80.7 ± 3.6%, respectively (P < 0.001). VAS during forearm rotation was 2.1 ± 0.7 in the case group, which is significantly higher than that in the control group (1.5 ± 0.5, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: This study proposed a new method to assess the articular surface of the sigmoid notch which is based on 3D reconstruction images. With the assistance of this method, we found that gaps or steps on the sigmoid notch not only limit forearm pronation rotation and supination rotation, but also cause apparent wrist pain during forearm rotation movement and poor wrist ability.

Radiocarpal joint stiffness following surgical treatment for distal radius fractures: the incidence and associated factors.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative radiocarpal joint stiffness (RJS) is common in patients with distal radius fractures (DRFs). The purpose of this study was to record the incidence of RJS and to determine potential risk factors that may be associated with it. METHODS: We retrospectively included a series of patients who suffered from DRFs and underwent volar plate fixation. Patients' basic data, radiographic data, and postoperative data were collected. The incidence of RJS during follow-up was recorded, and both univariate analyses and multivariate logistic regression were used to determine factors associated with it. RESULTS: A total of 119 patients were included in this study. After surgical procedures, there were 42 (35.3%) patients with RJS and 77 (64.7%) patients without. The incidence of RJS after surgical treatment is 35.3%. Multivariate analysis showed that intra-articular fracture (OR, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.13-1.81), pre-operative severe swelling (OR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.05-1.74), post-operative unsatisfied volar tile (OR, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.01-1.89), and improper rehabilitation exercise (OR, 1.72; 95% CI, 1.18-2.51) were correlated with the incidence of RJS during follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with intra-articular fracture, pre-operative severe swelling, post-operative unsatisfied volar tile, and improper rehabilitation exercise were factors associated with the incidence of wrist stiffness. Preoperative risk notification and postoperative precautions are necessary for relevant patients.