FLUORIDE CONCENTRATION IN SYNOVIAL FLUID, BONE MARROW, AND CARTILAGE IN PATIENTS WITH OSTEOARTHRITIS

The aim of this study was to compare the concentrations of fluoride (F) in cartilage, bone marrow, and synovial fluid taken from patients with osteoarthritis (OA). We also determined the correlation between OA risk factors, including age, sex, obesity, and hypertension, and F concentrations in the studied materials. The cartilage (n=27), bone marrow (n=29), and synovial fluid (n=22) were obtained from 29 patients (21 women and 8 men) with OA during knee replacement surgery. The median concentrations of F observed in studied materials could be arranged in the following descending order: cartilage > bone marrow > synovial fluid. The examination did not show a correlation between OA risk factors and F concentrations in the analyzed materials. Based on literature data and on the results of this study, we noticed that the level of F in the bone marrow and synovial fluid in patients with OA did not exceed 1.5 mg/L and 0.5 mg/L, respectively. The present study reports the first documentation of F concentrations in the synovial fluid and bone marrow of patients with OA.