Behaviour of nitric oxide synthase isoforms in inflammatory human joint diseases: an immunohistochemical study.

Nitric oxide (NO) is produced by nitric oxide synthases (NOS) expressed in various human tissues and, depending on the amount of NO produced in each tissue, the physiological function of NO is determined. Since increased inducibile nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression and NO generation are associated with pathogenesis of idiopatic osteoarthritis of synovial tissue and data about constitutive nitric oxide isoform (cNOS) in this tissue are scarce, in this study we investigated the localization and distribution of nitric oxide isoforms in normal, acute and chronic diseased synovium. The immunohistochemical and histologic analysis was performed in human synovial tissue obtained from 10 patients with post-traumatic inflammation, 14 patients with idiopatic osteoarthritis and normal synovial specimens were obtained from 7 patients undergoing surgery for reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament.

High-resolution CT grading of tibial stress reactions in distance runners.

Objective: The purpose of this study was twofold: to determine whether asymptomatic distance runners exhibit cortical tibial abnormalities on CT and to determine the diagnostic accuracy of CT in athletes with medial tibial stress syndrome.

Materials And Methods: A cross-sectional study with high-resolution CT of both tibiae was performed on 41 subjects: 20 asymptomatic distance runners, 11 distance runners with unilateral or bilateral pain due to medial tibial stress syndrome (14 painful tibiae), and 10 volunteers not involved in a sport. The group was composed of 13 women and 28 men, ranging in age from 18 to 26 years.