The Effect of Exercise on Serum Levels of Collagen and Proteoglycan in Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis

Inclusion criteria

• Cumulated Osteoarthritis Kellgren-Lawrence radiological grade of at least 2 in the tibio-femoral joints diagnosed by screening X-ray.
• 40 to < 75 years of age at time of signing the informed consent.
• Body weight > 50 and < 100 kg and BMI in the range 18.5-35 kg/m2 .
• Male or female.
• Able to attend all four study sessions and comply with the dietary and activity restrictions.
• Able to provide informed consent

Exclusion criteria

Medical conditions:

• Osteoarthritis Kellgren-Lawrence radiological grade of 4 in one or both knees.
• Cumulated osteoarthritis Kellgren-Lawrence radiological grade no higher than 1.
• History of arthroscopy or intra-articular administration of corticosteroids or hyaluronic acid into the target knee within 6 months before screening.
• Previous arthroplasty of knee or hip.
• Intention to have major surgery during the timeframe of the study.
• Secondary OA related to e.g. any known trauma including cruciate ligament tears, meniscus tears and cartilage damage, dysplasia, aseptic osteonecrosis, acromegaly, Paget disease, Stickler syndrome, hemochromatosis, gout, chondrocalcinosis (pseudogout).
• Current treatment with beta-receptor adrenergic antagonists (beta-blockers), MAO inhibitor, systemic corticosteroid treatment in doses equivalent to > 10 mg prednisolone per day, or vitamin K antagonists, new oral anticoagulants, fractionated and non-fractionated heparin.
• Active systemic infection.
• Active systemic inflammatory or autoimmune disease.
• Any sign of previous or current cardiovascular disease.
• Not currently an active athlete or highly trained individual.

Other exclusion criteria:

• Legal incapacity or limited legal capacity.
• Inability to communicate or cooperate with the investigator or to comply with the requirements of the entire study.
• Categorized as being very difficult to draw blood from, as evaluated by the investigator.
• Current alcohol abuse and/or inability to refrain from intake of alcoholic beverages for 24 hours prior to the study intervention.
• Other factors, e.g. self-reported drug abuse, which in the opinion of the investigator may interfere with the performance of the study.
• Site staff, study staff members and study staff family members.
• Other concomitant disease compromising or otherwise significantly affecting ECM turnover in the opinion of the investigator.