Macroscopic grading, histologic grading, morphometry, mineral analysis, and mechanical testing were performed to better understand the changes that occur in the cartilage, calcified cartilage, and subchondral bone in early osteoarthritis. The earliest changes in osteoarthritis (OA) remain poorly understood due to the difficulty in detecting OA before patients feel pain. We have published details of the mature bovine patella model showing the pre-OA state where no gross macroscopic changes are visible yet microstructural changes indicate very early degeneration. In this new study, we proceed to investigate this model further by more comprehensively quantifying the changes in articular cartilage (AC), zone of calcified cartilage (ZCC), and subchondral bone (SB) in pre and early OA.Summary
Introduction
A wide array of measures has been developed to assess the role of psychological factors in the development and persistence of pain. Yet there is likely to be considerable conceptual overlap between such measures, and consequently a lack of clarity about the importance of psychological factors. To investigate whether conceptual overlap exists within psychological measures used in back pain research.Background
Purpose
People with back pain often experience long-term pain with recurrences and fluctuations. However, few studies have considered which factors predict long-term outcomes. To determine the prognostic factors, measured around the time of a primary care back pain consultation, that predict clinically significant pain in both the short (6 months) and long-term (5 years).Background
Purpose