Ebook: Advances in Osteoarthritis

Basic research on osteoarthritis has been carried out mainly from the his­ tological and biochemical aspects of the degenerating chondrocytes, collagen fibers, and matrix proteoglycans. Undue mechanical stress has been shown to be the principal factor in the initiation of osteoarthritis. Although the exact process by which mechanical stress leads to the total destruction of cartilage tissue remains unclear, several new research methods have enabled us to gain a deeper understanding of the process of degeneration. In October 1997, we organized an international symposium titled "Ad­ vances in Osteoarthritis" in Kobe, with the main topics being updated re­ search, diagnosis, and treatment of osteoarthritis. The proceedings of the symposium are presented here in five sections: (1) Mechanical stress and reactions of chondrocytes, such as intracellular ion changes, changes in the cytoskeleton, intracellular messenger systems, release of gas mediators, and changes in electromechanical properties of cartilage; (2) Functional diagnosis of osteoarthritis by MR imaging, and using calpain and collagenase III as new cartilage markers; (3) Treatment with a promising simple washout technique and IL-1RA and MMP antagonists; (4) Cartilage repair by new grafting tech­ niques; and (5) Problems following total joint replacement. We sincerely hope that the advanced knowledge provided in this volume of proceedings will be valuable to our readers.

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The International Symposium on Advances in Osteoarthritis, held in Kobe in 1997, focused on the latest research in osteoarthritis, including diagnosis and treatment. Basic research in the field has focused on the histological and biochemical aspects of the degenerating chondrocytes, collagen fibers, and matrix proteoglycans, and excess mechanical stress has been shown to be the principal factor in the initiation of osteoarthritis. Exactly how such stress leads to the total destruction of cartilage tissue remains unclear, but new research has brought a clearer understanding of the process of degeneration. The latest findings are included in the proceedings of the symposium, with the focus on the following areas: mechanical stress and chondrocyte reactions, functional diagnosis of osteoarthritis, new cartilage markers, promising treatments, and problems following total joint replacement.