Individuals with synovitis may have greater risk for cartilage damage, shows study

In an Arthritis & Rheumatology study of 221 patients with knee osteoarthritis and meniscal tears, increases in inflammation of the synovial membrane (synovitis)--whether persistently extensive or intermittent--were linked with cartilage damage over time.

"Our findings suggest that individuals with synovitis may be at greater risk for cartilage damage. We find this particularly relevant as synovitis is a potentially modifiable feature of osteoarthritis," said lead author Dr. Lindsey Macfarlane, of Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School. "Further research on whether treatment of synovitis mitigates future cartilage damage could help advance treatment paradigms."