Age-related histological changes in calcified cartilage and subchondral bone in femoral heads from healthy humans

• Published in: Bone (New York, N.Y.) Vol. 129; p. 115037
• Main Authors: Nielsen, Andreas Wiggers, Klose-Jensen, Rasmus, Hartlev, Louise Brøndt, Boel, Lene Warner Thorup, Thomsen, Jesper Skovhus, Keller, Kresten Krarup, Hauge, Ellen-Margrethe
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01-12-2019
• Subjects: Ageing; Calcified cartilage; Osteoarthritis; Sex; Subchondral bone plate; Calcified cartilage; Osteoarthritis; Ageing; Sex; Subchondral bone plate
• ISSN: 8756-3282; 1873-2763
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bone.2019.115037

Age is the most important risk factor for osteoarthritis (OA). It is suggested that changes in subchondral bone and calcified cartilage may occur in early OA. Therefore, the aim was to investigate age-related changes in the femoral head composition. We hypothesise that the thickness of the subchondral bone plate decreases with age, while the thickness of the calcified cartilage increases with age as seen in early-stage OA.
Femoral heads from 29 women (20–74 years) and 32 men (23–78 years), who had died suddenly and unexpectedly, were obtained at autopsy. Individuals with bone or joint diseases or macroscopic abnormal cartilage were excluded. Using design-based stereology, femoral head volume as well as thickness and volume of the calcified cartilage and subchondral bone plate were estimated and correlated to sex and age.
The thickness and volume of the subchondral bone plate were not correlated with age. Calcified cartilage thickness and volume correlated positively with age in women, while the femoral head volume was correlated positively with age in men.
In human femoral heads obtained from a cross-sectional population without macroscopic OA changes, the thickness of the subchondral bone plate did not change with age, which differs from the thinning seen in early OA. Surprisingly, the age-related changes of the volume and thickness of the calcified cartilage and of the volume of the femoral head were different for women and men. This indicate that cartilage and bone metabolism is sex-specific, which may influence ageing of the hip joint.
•The influence of age on subchondral bone differs in women and men.•Calcified cartilage thickness correlated with age in women only•The volume of the femoral head increased significantly with age in men only.•Thickness of the subchondral bone plate was not associated with age.•Subchondral BV/TV decreased in both men and women.