Clinical-like cryotherapy improves footprint patterns and reduces synovial inflammation in a rat model of post-traumatic knee osteoarthritis

Author(s)

Barbosa, Germanna Medeiros ^[1] ; Cunha, Jonathan Emanuel ^[1] ; Cunha, Thiago Mattar ^[2] ; Martinho, Lizandra Botaro ^[1] ; Tome Souza Castro, Paula Aiello ^[1] ; Bezerra Oliveira, Francisco Fabio ^[2] ; Cunha, Fernando Queiroz ^[2] ; Ramalho, Fernando Silva ^[3] ; Salvini, Tania Fatima ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Fed Sao Carlos, Dept Phys Therapy, Sao Carlos, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Pharmacol, Ribeirao Preto, SP - Brazil

^[3] Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Pathol & Forens Med, Ribeirao Preto, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: SCIENTIFIC REPORTS; v. 9, OCT 10 2019.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

Cryotherapy is a non-pharmacological treatment commonly used to control inflammation and improve function after acute traumas. However, there are no definitive findings about its effects on chronic joint diseases such as knee osteoarthritis (KOA). The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of clinical-like cryotherapy on functional impairment and synovial inflammation in a rat model of KOA generated by anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT). Thirty-two male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups (n = 8/group): Control, KOA, KOA + Cryotherapy and KOA + Placebo. The last two groups were submitted to the relevant interventions twice a day for five days (61 to 65), with each session lasting 20 min. Gait test, skin temperature, thermal response threshold and joint swelling were assessed in all groups before ACLT surgery, and pre (60th day) and post (66th day) intervention protocols. On day 66, the animals were euthanized and exsanguinated to remove the synovial membrane for histopathologica I examination and synovial fluid to determine the leukocyte count and cytokine concentration. After the intervention period (66th day), footprint area only increased in the KOA Cryotherapy group (P = 0.004; 14%) when compared to KOA and KOA +/- Placebo, but did not differ from controls. Cryotherapy lowered the synovial fluid leukocyte count (P < 0.0001; >= 95.0%) and cytokine concentration (P < 0.0001; >= 55%) when compared to the KOA and Placebo groups. Synovia I score and synovial fibrosis did not differ in the KOA groups. In conclusion, footprint patterns improved in rats with ACLT-induced KOA as a result of clinical-like cryotherapy, which also lowered the synovial fluid leukocyte count and inflammatory cytokine concentration in these rats. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 15/26567-2 - THE EFFECT OF CRYOTHERAPY IN THE NOCICEPTION, INFLAMMATORY CYTOKINES AND NEUROMUSCULAR SIGNALING PATHWAYS OF MICE WITH KNEE ARTHRITIS
• Grantee: Paula Aiello Tomé de Souza Castro
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 16/24666-6 - Morphological and neuromuscular junction signaling pathways changes in rats with knee osteoarthritis induced by anterior cruciate ligament transection
• Grantee: Jonathan Emanuel da Cunha
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master