Associations between biochemical markers of cartilage metabolism and gait biomechanics in healthy participants

Introduction: Mechanical loading is associated with cartilage breakdown in people with knee osteoarthritis (KOA); it is unknown if this association exists in healthy young individuals. Purpose: Determine associations between biomarkers of collagen turnover (synthesis:breakdown) and peak vertical ground reaction force (vGRF) in healthy young individuals. Methods: Resting serum samples and walking gait kinetics were collected from 24 healthy, young individuals. Type II collagen synthesis (Collagen type II C- propeptide; CPII) and breakdown (Collagen type II cleavage product; C2C) were examined via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). Gait kinetics were assessed during walking trials. Pearson product (r) moment correlations were used to determine associations between transformed (base-10 log scale) collagen turnover and peak vGRF. Results: 24 subjects (age=20+/-2 years, BMI=23.4+/-3.0) completed this study. There was a moderate association between CPII:C2C ratios and peak vGRF approaching significance (r= 0.363, p=0.081). Discussion: Higher loading in gait may increase collagen synthesis-to-degradation ratio in healthy young subjects.