The aim ojthis study was to evaluate serum PIIANP and urinary CTXII
as a parwneters oj type II collagen synthesis and degradation. respectively.
in patients with OA knees and to investigate whether the use oj
these two molecular markers could predict the progression ojjoint damage
evaluated by radiography during a period oj3 years.
Sixty patients had symptomatic primary knee OA ojKellgren-Lawrence
(K-L) grade HII and met ACR criteria. These patients were evaluated
prospectively Jor 3 years. Serum PIIANP and urinary CTX-II levels were
measured by ELISA at baseline and at study end and their levels compared
according to the changes injoint space width (JSW). K-L grade and
WOMAC index, over 3 years. Also, we assessed the diagnostic value oj
those molecular markers and their performanceJor prediction ojradiological
progression. Serum and urinary levels also compared with 40
matched healthy subjects as a control group.
There were signifICant decrease in the baseline serum PllANP
(P