Antiresorptive and Anabolic Bone Therapy Does not Improve Weight Bearing Capacity and Bone Strength in OA Rats

Objective: This manuscript reports the outcomes of medial meniscectomy (MM) surgery on cartilage and cortical bone strength and the reaction of cartilage and bone to intensive treatment with antiresorptive (zoledronate) and anabolic bone (PTH) therapies. Methods: Medial meniscectomy was used to induce OA in male Lewis rats. Therapy with zoledronate and human PTH was initiated immediately after surgery. A dynamic weight-bearing system was deployed to evaluate the weight-bearing capacity. At the end of the 10-week study cartilage pathology was evaluated by contrast μCT imaging and histology. Cortical bone geometry at femoral mid-diaphysis was evaluated by μCT and strength was tested using 3-point bending method.