Geriatrics Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Geriatrics, including details on old age, psychiatry, depression, medicine.

Accelerated fracture healing in the geriatric, osteoporotic rat with recombinant human platelet-derived growth factor-BB and an injectable beta-tricalcium phosphate/collagen matrix.

Hollinger JO, Onikepe AO, MacKrell J, Einhorn T, Bradica G, Lynch S, Hart CE

Bone Tissue Engineering Center, Carnegie Mellon University, 125D Smith Hall, 5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, USA. hollinge@cs.cmu.edu

Aging and osteoporosis contribute to decreased bone mass and bone mineral density as well as compromised fracture healing rates and bone repair quality. Consequently, the purpose of this study was to determine if recombinant human platelet-derived growth factor-BB (rhPDGF-BB) delivered in an injectable beta-tricalcium phosphate/collagen matrix would enhance tibial fracture healing in geriatric (>2 years of age), osteoporotic rats. A total of 80 rats were divided equally among four groups: Fracture alone; Fracture plus matrix; Fracture plus matrix and either 0.3 mg/mL or 1.0 mg/mL rhPDGF-BB. At 3 and 5 weeks, rats were euthanized and treatment outcome was assessed histologically, radiographically, biomechanically, and by micro-CT. Results indicated rhPDGF-BB-treated fractures in osteoporotic, geriatric rats caused a statistically significant time-dependent increase in torsional strength 5 weeks after treatment. The healed fractures were equivalent in torsional strength to the contralateral, unoperated tibiae. Data from the study are the first, to our knowledge, to underscore rhPDGF-BB efficacy in an injectable beta-tricalcium phosphate/collagen matrix accelerated fracture repair in a geriatric, osteoporotic rat model.

Published 19 December 2007 in J Orthop Res, 26(1): 83-90.
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