There is an Association of Synovial Interleukin-6 Levels With Chondral Damage in Anterior Cruciate Ligament-Deficient Knees.

Abstract

<i>Background</i>: Osteoarthritis (OA) in the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)-deficient knee is seen in approximately 50% of affected patients. Possible causes include biochemical or biomechanical changes. <i>Purpose</i>: We sought to study the correlation between inflammatory cytokines and chondral damage in ACL-deficient knees. <i>Methods</i>: Seventy-six male patients who underwent ACL reconstruction were enrolled in a cross-sectional study. Synovial fluid was aspirated before surgery and analyzed for levels of the inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1 (IL-1), and interleukin-6 (IL-6). At the time of ACL reconstruction, the severity of chondral damage was documented as described by the Outerbridge classification. <i>Results</i>: Patients with grade 2 or higher chondral damage were observed to have elevated IL-6 levels when compared to patients who had no chondral damage. Interleukin-6 levels had no correlation with the duration of injury. <i>Conclusion</i>: Elevated levels of IL-6 in synovial fluid were associated with chondral damage in ACL-deficient knees. Further study is warranted to determine whether inflammatory cytokines contribute to the development of OA of the knee after ACL injury.