In vitro collagen biomarkers in mechanically stimulated human tendon cells: a systematic review.

Objective: The aim of this study was to comprehensively examine and summarize the available in vitro evidence regarding the relationship between mechanical stimulation and biomarkers of collagen synthesis in human-derived tendon cells.

Methods: Systematic review with narrative analyses and risk of bias assessment guided by the Health Assessment and Translation tool. The electronic databases MEDLINE (Ovid), EMBASE (Ovid), CENTRAL (Ovid) and COMPENDEX (Engineering Village) were systematically searched from inception to 3 August 2023.

Combined hormonal contraceptive use is not protective against musculoskeletal conditions or injuries: a systematic review with data from 5 million females.

Objective: Assess the association between combined hormonal contraceptives (CHC) use and musculoskeletal tissue pathophysiology, injuries or conditions.

Design: Systematic review with semiquantitative analyses and certainty of evidence assessment, guided by the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach.

Data Sources: MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL, SPORTDiscus, CINAHL searched from inception to April 2022.

The effects of cholesterol accumulation on Achilles tendon biomechanics: A cross-sectional study.

Familial hypercholesterolemia, a common genetic metabolic disorder characterized by high cholesterol levels, is involved in the development of atherosclerosis and other preventable diseases. Familial hypercholesterolemia can also cause tendinous abnormalities, such as thickening and xanthoma (tendon lipid accumulation) in the Achilles, which may impede tendon biomechanics. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of cholesterol accumulation on the biomechanical performance of Achilles tendons, in vivo.

Diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound and MRI for Achilles tendon xanthoma in people with familial hypercholesterolemia: A systematic review.

Background: Achilles tendon xanthoma (ATX) results from tendon thickening and subclinical inflammation triggered by hypercholesterolemia, and is associated with more severe coronary artery disease and a higher risk of cardiovascular events. The ability to detect ATX by clinical examination is limited, and diagnostic imaging, for instance, using ultrasonography or magnetic resonance imagine (MRI), may improve the identification of ATX. However, the accuracy of ultrasound (US) imaging or MRI in identifying ATX in people with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) has not been systematically reviewed.