ABSTRACT
The knee is one of the most important joints for locomotion. However, due to its complexity, it becomes susceptible to several types of injuries, such as the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture. This complication triggers an inflammatory process, which can lead to the formation of free radicals and, consequently, oxidative stress (OS). The objective of this study was to compare the oxidative profiles of patients with ACL injury, analyzing two biological samples: synovial fluid and serum. Eleven male subjects with total ACL rupture, older than 18 were analyzed. Blood samples and synovial fluid were collected fifteen minutes before arthroplasty. OS catalase biomarkers, flavonoids and lipid peroxidation (TBARS) were analyzed. The results indicate a lower flavonoid concentration, combined with an increase in TBARS and serum catalase activity when compared with synovial fluid. Analysis of the results indicates that the ACL injury induces OS, characterized by antioxidant consumption and elevated lipid damage in the synovial fluid, when compared with the serum, which indicates that serumal analyses may not be adequate to measure OS in compartments such as the knee joint.
Keywords:
Knee; Anterior Cruciate Ligament; Free Radicals; Biomarkers; Oxidative Stress
