Researchers at The University of Nottingham are hoping to find out if inflammation of the knee could be an early sign of osteoarthritis — a condition which leads to pain, stiffness, swelling and disability.
Up to six million people in the UK suffer from osteoarthritis in the knee. Now 200 patients, over the age of 55, from GP practices across Nottingham are to take part in a study led by research physiotherapist Michelle Hall in the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Physiotherapy.
Mrs Hall, who is a lecturer in the Division of Physiotherapy Education, said: "It has been shown that people who have inflammation may develop more severe and progressive osteoarthritis and experience greater pain and disability. The ability to detect the presence of inflammation using Ultrasound could therefore be important in terms of prognosis and selection of certain treatments."
With a three-year training fellowship from the Arthritis Research Campaign of £192,000 Mrs Hall will use new ultrasound techniques to identify if this common condition, in people over 55, can be linked to osteoarthritis.
At the moment osteoarthritis can only be identified by x-ray, which is limited to revealing changes to bones and degeneration of cartilage. It does not show up any changes or inflammation to the surrounding soft tissue or joint lining. This inflammation may also contribute to pain and stiffness and could, in fact, be a precursor to osteoarthritis.
Osteoarthritis is known as a "wear and tear" condition in which cartilage wears away, leaving bones rubbing together. Recently scientists have shown that inflammation in the joint lining may also play a role in its development.
The team from The University of Nottingham's physiotherapy education and academic rheumatology departments aim to find out if people with knee pain and/or knee osteoarthritis also have inflammation in their knees.
Patients will attend the Clinical Sciences Building at the University for the ultrasound scans which will repeated three months later or if participants report a change in their knee pain, to chart the progress of the inflammation to see whether this correlates with x-ray changes or with increases in pain. A control group of healthy volunteers will also undergo ultrasound on their knees as a comparison group.
Notes to editors: The University of Nottingham is ranked in the UK's Top 10 and the World's Top 100 universities by the Shanghai Jiao Tong (SJTU) and Times Higher (THE) World University Rankings.
More than 90 per cent of research at The University of Nottingham is of international quality, according to RAE 2008, with almost 60 per cent of all research defined as 'world-leading' or 'internationally excellent'. Research Fortnight analysis of RAE 2008 ranks the University 7th in the UK by research power. In 27 subject areas, the University features in the UK Top Ten, with 14 of those in the Top Five.
The University provides innovative and top quality teaching, undertakes world-changing research, and attracts talented staff and students from 150 nations. Described by The Times as Britain's "only truly global university", it has invested continuously in award-winning campuses in the United Kingdom, China and Malaysia. Twice since 2003 its research and teaching academics have won Nobel Prizes. The University has won the Queen's Award for Enterprise in both 2006 (International Trade) and 2007 (Innovation — School of Pharmacy), and was named 'Entrepreneurial University of the Year' at the Times Higher Education Awards 2008.
Nottingham was designated as a Science City in 2005 in recognition of its rich scientific heritage, industrial base and role as a leading research centre. Nottingham has since embarked on a wide range of business, property, knowledge transfer and educational initiatives (www.science-city.co.uk) in order to build on its growing reputation as an international centre of scientific excellence. The University of Nottingham is a partner in Nottingham: the Science City.
More information is available from Mrs Michelle Hall on +44 (0)115 8231782, michelle.hall@nottingham.ac.uk or Jane Tadman in the ARC press office on +44 (0)1246 541107 or Lindsay Brooke, Media Relations Manager, on +44 (0)115 951 5751, lindsay.brooke@nottingham.ac.uk