Therapeutic Potential Low-Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound for Osteoarthritis: Pre-clinical and Clinical Perspectives.

Author: Uddin SMZ1, Komatsu DE2
Affiliation:
1Department of Orthopaedics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA. Electronic address: Sardar.Uddin@stonybrookmedicine.edu.
2Department of Orthopaedics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA.
Conference/Journal: Ultrasound Med Biol.
Date published: 2020 Jan 17
Other: Pages: S0301-5629(19)31627-8 , Special Notes: doi: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2019.12.007. [Epub ahead of print] , Word Count: 242


Osteoarthritis (OA), degeneration of cartilage associated with aging, lifestyle, and trauma, is one of the most common diseases that leads to lower quality of life and socioeconomic burden in the United States. Clinically, OA is initially managed by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, but eventually requires surgical intervention to reduce pain and increase function. Cartilage is a mechanotransductive tissue and requires a mechanical stimulus to sustain its mechanical and physiologic properties. Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) is a cyclic acoustic wave that can provide essential mechanical stimuli to activate molecular and cellular pathways leading to chondrocyte proliferation, differentiation and activity, as well as to inhibit inflammatory pathways associated with OA. The activation of chondrocyte proliferation and inhibition of anti-inflammatory cytokines make LIPUS a potential therapy for mild to moderate OA. Although a few review articles have described the effects of ultrasound on chondrocytes and cartilage, there remains a need for a comprehensive analysis of our current understanding of the basic science and clinical status of the effects of low-intensity ultrasound on chondrocytes and cartilage and the implications of these studies on LIPUS as a therapeutic option for OA. This review analyzes recent literature describing the results of LIPUS using in vitro and in vivo pre-clinical models and clinical studies, as well as future directions for research.

Copyright © 2019 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

KEYWORDS: Clinical; Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound; Osteoarthritis; Pre-clinical; Therapeutic potential

PMID: 31959508 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2019.12.007

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