Abstract
The intra-articular synovial fluid environment in skeletally immature patients following an ACL tear is complex and remains undefined. Levels of inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines change significantly in response to trauma and collectively define the inflammatory environment. Of these factors the resolvins, with their inherent anti-inflammatory, reparative, and analgesic properties, have become prominent. This study examined the levels of resolvins and other cytokines after ACL tears in skeletally immature and adult patients in order to determine if skeletal maturity affects the inflammatory pattern. Skeletally immature and adult patients with an anterior cruciate ligament injury and meniscal tears were prospectively enrolled over a 5-month period. Synovial fluid samples were obtained before surgery quantifying Resolvin E1, IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-10 by ELISA. Comparisons between skeletally immature patients and adults, the influence of meniscal tear, growth plate maturity and time from trauma were analyzed. Skeletally immature patients had significantly greater levels of Resolvin E1 and IL-10 compared with adults with an isolated anterior cruciate ligament lesion. Among the injured skeletally immature patients Resolvin E1 levels were greater in the open growth plate group compared with those with closing growth plates. Moreover, levels of Resolvin E1 and IL-10 appeared to decrease with time. Our results suggest that skeletally immature patients have a stronger activation of the Resolvin pattern compared to adult patients and that synovial fluid Resolvins could play an antinflammatory role in the knee after anterior cruciate ligament lesion and that its activity may be synergistic with that of IL-10.