Possible Involvement of Serum and Synovial Fluid Resistin in Knee Osteoarthritis: Cartilage Damage, Clinical, and Radiological Links

Background: Resistin is an adipocytokine associated with inflammation and insulin resistance. Recent studies have shown that resistin plays an important role in the pathogenesis and progression in osteoarthritis (OA) patients. The current study was aimed at investigating the relationship between resistin in serum and synovial fluid (SF) and disease severity in patients with knee osteoarthritis.

Method: Seventy-four patients diagnosed with knee OA and 79 healthy controls receiving regular body check in our hospital were recruited in the study. The Noyes score method was used to assess articular cartilage damage arthroscopically. The symptomatic severity was evaluated according to the Western Ontario McMaster University Osteoarthritis (WOMAC) scores. The radiographic disease severity of OA was assessed by the Kellgren-Lawrence (K-L) grading system. The resistin levels in serum and SF were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Cartilage degradation marker CTX-II in SF was also examined.

Results: SF but not serum resistin levels are positively associated with Noyes scores, K-L grading scores WOMAC pain scores, physical functional scores and WOMAC total scores. In addition, SF resistin correlated positively with CTX-II.

Conclusion: Resistin in SF might serve as a potential biomarker for reflecting the disease severity and cartilage degenerative extent of knee OA.