Multimodal Assessment of Electroacupuncture Treatment for Knee Osteoarthritis in Mice

Osteoarthritis is a chronic degenerative joint disease that commonly affects the knee and causes pain, swelling, stiffness, and functional limitation. Synovial inflammation and changes in periarticular muscles contribute to disease initiation and progression. Clinical evidence suggests that electroacupuncture may alleviate local inflammation and modulate cartilage metabolism. In this study, knee osteoarthritis was induced in mice by surgical destabilization of the medial meniscus. Outcomes were assessed using a multimodal protocol comprising the rotarod test, ultrasound, infrared thermography, magnetic resonance imaging, and histological staining. Joint cavity volume and skin temperature were monitored longitudinally, and endpoint magnetic resonance imaging and Safranin O-Fast Green staining were used to assess periarticular muscle signal changes and cartilage pathology. Electroacupuncture was associated with improved motor performance, reduced joint swelling, higher local skin temperature, less pronounced periarticular muscle signal changes on magnetic resonance images, and lower cartilage degeneration scores. These findings support the use of this multimodal protocol to assess electroacupuncture-associated outcomes in a preclinical mouse model.