Therapy of Osteoarthrosis - from Influencing the Symptoms to Preservation of the Articular Cartilage

Overview

An overview of pharmacological and surgical approaches aiming to preserve the articular cartilage and preventprogression of degeneration during osteoarthrosis (OA) is given. From the pharmacological approaches the mostpromising appears to be glucosaminosulphate from the SYSADOA group. Also preparations affecting the bonemetabolism as calcitonin and biosulphates are tested. Along with it some biological curatives blocking the activityof IL-1, TNF-a, MMP, and NO are experimentally used. They have been parenterally administered, however, thegene therapy enabling transfer of the genetic information by means of retroviruses directly into the joint and synthesisof the target proteins in situ becomes clinically tested. From the surgical approaches aimed to preserve the articularcartilage several methods are currently tested: joint debridment, transplantation of the soft components, transplan-tation of the cartilage grafts and some experimental methods.

Key words:
osteoarthritis, structure modifying treatment, surgical therapy.