Tarsal degenerative joint disease in cattle: blood and synovial fluid changes

Tarsal degenerative joint disease (DJD) in 27 cattle was classified as primary or secondary based on age, joint conformation defects, faulty hindlimb alignment, or history of trauma to the affected joint(s). Results of blood and synovial fluid analysis for cattle affected with primary or secondary tarsal DJD were grouped in compilation of data. Cattle with tarsal DJD had significantly (P smaller than 0.01) reduced hemoglobin (Hb) content in comparison to that in control cattle. There was highly significant (P smaller than 0.001) reduction in packed cell volume (PCV). A significant difference was not determined for mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) values of the 2 groups of cattle. Total white blood cell (WBC) counts closely paralleled each other, although mean proportion of neutrophils was significantly (P smaller than 0.05) greater in cattle affected with tarsal DJD, as were mean proportion of lymphocytes (P smaller than 0.02). Synovial fluid samples were analyzed for physical, biochemical, and cytologic properties. Statistical comparisons were made between values determined for arthritic cattle and control cattle. All samples from cattle with tarsal DJD were transudative. Opacity and flocculation were attributed to the presence of cartilaginous fragments and fibrils. There was significant correlation between increased relative viscosity (RV) and higher grades of mucinous precipitate quality (MPQ; r = +0.294, P smaller than 0.05) for all cattle. Mean alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity for arthritic cattle was significantly (P smaller than 0.001) reduced, as was the mean activity for lactic dehydrogenase (LDH; P smaller than 0.05). The mean aldolase (ALD) activity for arthritic cattle was increased, whereas mean activity values for glutamic oxalacetic transaminase (GOT) and glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT) were reduced. Samples from arthritic cattle had reduced total leukocyte counts and significantly (P smaller than 0.05) increased proportion of macrophages in comparison to the values in control cattle.