This preliminary study quantified tibia cartilage thickness (Cart.Th), subchondral bone plate thickness (SBPl.Th) and subchondral trabecular bone (STB) microarchitecture in subjects with varus-or valgus-malaligned knees diagnosed with end-stage knee osteoarthritis (OA) and compared them to controls (non-OA). Tibial plateaus from 25 subjects with knee-OA (undergoing knee arthroplasty) and 15 cadavers (controls) were micro-CT scanned (17 µm/voxel). Joint alignment was classified radiographically for OA subjects (varus-aligned n = 18, valgus-aligned n = 7). Cart.Th, SBPl.Th, STB bone volume fraction (BV/TV) and their medial-tolateral ratios were analyzed in anteromedial, anterolateral, posteromedial and posterolateral subregions. Varus-OA and valgus-OA were compared to controls.Compared to controls (1.19-1.54 mm), Cart.Th in varus-OA was significantly lower anteromedially (0.58 mm, −59%) and higher laterally (2.19-2.47 mm, +60-63%); in valgus-OA, Cart.Th was significantly higher posteromedially (1.86 mm, +56%).Control medial-to-lateral Cart.Th ratios were around unity (0.8-1.1), in varus-OA significantly below (0.2-0.6) and in valgus-OA slightly above (1.0-1.3) controls.SBPl.Th and BV/TV were significantly higher medially in varus-OA (0.58-0.72 mm and 37-44%, respectively) and laterally in valgus-OA (0.60-0.61 mm and 32-37%), compared to controls (0.26-0.47 mm and 18-37%). In varus-OA, the medial-tolateral SBPl.Th and BV/TV ratios were above unity (1.4-2.4) and controls (0.8-2.1); in valgus-OA they were closer to unity (0.8-1.1) and below controls. Varus-and valgus-OA tibia differ significantly from controls in Cart.Th, SBPl.Th and STB microarchitecture depending on joint alignment, suggesting structural changes in OA may reflect differences in medial-to-lateral load distribution upon the tibial plateau. Here we identified an inverse relationship between cartilage thickness and underlying subchondral bone, suggesting a whole-joint response in OA to daily stimuli.

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Biomechanical factors (e.g., joint loading) have a significant role in the progression of osteoarthritis (OA). However, some relationships between in vivo joint loading indices and tibial cartilage thickness are conflicting. This study investigated relationships between pre‐operative in vivo external knee joint moments, joint alignment and regional tibial cartilage thickness using micro‐CT in subjects with end‐stage knee OA. Tibial plateaus from 25 patients that underwent knee replacement for OA were micro‐CT scanned (17 µm/voxel). Prior to surgery, subjects underwent gait analysis to calculate external knee moments. The mechanical axis deviation (MAD) was obtained from pre‐operative radiographs. Cartilage thickness (Cart.Th) was analyzed from micro‐CT images, in anteromedial, anterolateral, posteromedial and posterolateral subregions of interest. Medial‐to‐lateral Cart.Th ratios were also explored. Relationships between Cart.Th and joint loading indices were examined using Pearson's correlations. Significant correlations were found between Cart.Th and joint loading indices, positive anteromedially with the first peak knee adduction moment (r = 0.55, p < 0.01) and external rotation moment (ERM; r = 0.52, p < 0.01), and negative with MAD (r = −0.76, p < 0.001). In the lateral regions, these correlations had opposite signs. The medial‐to‐lateral Cart.Th ratio correlated strongly with ERM (r = 0.63, p = 0.001) and MAD (r = −0.75, p < 0.001). Joint loading indices correlated with regional cartilage thickness values and their medial‐to‐lateral ratios in end‐stage knee OA subjects, with higher regional loads corresponding to thinner cartilage. These relationships have the opposite sign compared to the subchondral bone microarchitecture found in our previous study on the same specimens, which may suggest a complementary bone–cartilage interplay in response to loading.

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