Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 18, 2026
Synovial Fluid Analysis to Identify Osteoarthritis
Published on: October 20, 2022
Synovial fluid biomarkers: association with chronic rotator cuff tear severity and pain
Chien-An Shih1, Kuo-Chen Wu2, Chung-Jung Shao3
1Department of Orthopedics, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
Background:
We tested the hypothesis that biomarkers in the synovial fluid of the glenohumeral (shoulder) joint are correlated with visual analog scale (VAS) scores, functional scores, and ultrasound findings of chronic rotator cuff tear (RCT) severity.
Methods:
We measured biomarkers in shoulder joint synovial fluid of 42 patients with partial-thickness (21), nonmassive full-thickness (10), and massive full-thickness (11) RCTs. Pain duration, tear severity, and VAS and functional scores were compared with interleukin (IL) 1β, IL-6, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 1, and MMP-13 levels.
Results:
Both MMP-1 and MMP-13 levels were significantly highest in the massive full-thickness group. MMP-13 levels were significantly different between groups, but proinflammatory cytokine IL-1β and IL-6 levels were not. However, IL-1β levels were significantly positively correlated with VAS (r = 0.66; P <.01) and functional scores (r = 0.61; P <.01), but IL-6, MMP-1, and MMP-13 levels were not.
Conclusions:
IL-1β levels in shoulder synovial fluid correlated positively with shoulder pain and functional scores in patients with chronic RCTs. Both MMP-1 and MMP-13 levels were altered and increased with cuff tear severity.
