Effects of intra-articular vitamin E and corticosteroid injection in experimental hemarthrosis in rabbits

The effects of intra-articular injections of vitamin E and corticosteroid were investigated in skeletally mature New Zealand white rabbits in which experimental hemarthrosis was induced for 14 days. The rabbits were divided into three groups composed of eight rabbits each: the first group comprised of animals with hemarthrosis, the second group animals with hemarthrosis and intra-articular injections of 20 mg vitamin E, and the third group animals with hemarthrosis and intra-articular injections of 10 mg of triamcinolone acetonide (TCA). Proteoglycan levels in the joint cartilage of the hemarthrosis group were found to be increased significantly compared with the controls (P < .01), whereas in the vitamin E-injected group they were significantly decreased (P < .05). In the TCA-injected group, proteoglycan levels were not found to be significantly different from those in the hemarthrosis group (P > .05). Histopathological evaluation showed that the cartilage structure in the joint of the control limbs was identical to that in the vitamin E- and TCA-injected limbs. In the hemarthrosis group, in comparison with the controls, the joint surface was roughened and fibrillated. In the superficial areas of the cartilage tissue, chondrocytes were decreased in number. These findings suggest that in this model, vitamin E and TCA may be helpful in preventing the joint cartilage changes seen in hemarthrosis.