Evaluation of a Collagenase Generated Osteoarthritis Biomarker in the Synovial Fluid from Elbow Joints of Dogs with Medial Coronoid Disease and Unaffected Dogs

Abstract

To evaluate whether synovial fluid concentrations of an osteoarthritis biomarker in dysplastic canine elbows with medial coronoid disease (MCD) are elevated compared with unaffected elbows and to determine if these concentrations correlate to the degree of articular cartilage damage. Cross sectional clinical study. Dogs (n=19; 35 elbows) with MCD and dogs (8; 16 elbows) with unaffected elbows. Concentrations of a collagenase-generated cleavage neoepitope of type II collagen (Col2-3/4C(long mono), or C2C) in joint fluid from elbows were analyzed and compared between dogs with MCD and unaffected dogs. Correlation of C2C concentration with subjective grading of articular cartilage surface damage was also evaluated. Mean (+/-SD) C2C concentration from MCD dogs was significantly higher (112.3+/-24.8 ng/mL) than in unaffected dogs (76.1+/-16.9 ng/mL; P<.05). There was a moderate correlation between cartilage damage grade and increasing C2C concentrations (P<.05, r=0.62) C2C concentrations are elevated in the synovial fluid of dogs with MCD compared with unaffected elbows, and a moderate, significant correlation was identified between these concentrations and subjective grading of articular cartilage damage. This preliminary data suggest that C2C concentrations in synovial fluid may have potential as a biomarker for diagnosis of articular cartilage damage associated with MCD and as a means of objectively determining the degree of articular cartilage damage.