Evaluation of oxidative stress in degenerative rotator cuff tears

Oxidative stress occurs as a result of the disruption of the balance between the formations of reactive oxygen species and antioxidant defense mechanisms during the conversion of nutrients into energy. Increased body oxidative stress has been reported to be involved in the etiology of several degenerative and chronic diseases. We hypothesized that the body oxidative stress level is higher in patients with atraumatic degenerative rotator cuff tear than that in healthy individuals.

The patients who underwent arthroscopic repair for atraumatic, degenerative rotator cuff tear were prospectively evaluated. A total of 30 patients (group 1, 19 females and 11 males; mean age: 57.33 ± 6.96 years; range: 50-77 years) and 30 healthy individuals (group 2, 18 females and 12 males; mean age: 56.77 ± 6 years; range: 51-72 years) were included in the study. The Constant and American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons scoring systems were used to evaluate the clinical outcomes. Serum oxidative stress parameters of the patients and the control group were biochemically evaluated. Accordingly, thiol/disulfide (DS) balance (DS/native thiol [NT], DS/total thiol [TT]), Total Oxidant Status (TOS), oxidative stress index, and nuclear factor erythroid-2-associated factor-2 values were used as the biochemical parameters indicating an increase in the serum oxidative stress level. Total antioxidant status and NT/TT values served as the biochemical parameters indicating a decrease in the serum oxidative stress level.

The study follow-up duration was 12 months. A statistically significant increase was observed in American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons and Constant scores of patients who underwent arthroscopic rotator cuff repair relative to that during the preoperative period (P = .01). The values of biochemical parameters (DS/NT, DS/TT, TOS, oxidative stress index, and nuclear factor erythroid-2-associated factor-2), which indicated an increase in the serum oxidative stress, were significantly higher in preoperative patients than those in postoperative patients, albeit the control group values were significantly lower than those of the postoperative patients. The biochemical parameters (NT/TT and total antioxidant status) indicating a decrease in the serum oxidative stress levels were significantly higher in the postoperative patients than those in the preoperative patients and significantly lower than those in the control group.

High levels of markers indicating an increase in the serum oxidative stress in patients with degenerative rotator cuff rupture suggested that TOS may be involved in the etiopathogenesis of rotator cuff degeneration. Although the oxidative load decreases during the postoperative period, the fact that it is still higher than that in healthy individuals supports this claim.