Microhardness of human cancellous bone tissue in progressive hip osteoarthritis

Bone tissue is a biological system in which the dynamic processes of, among others, bone formation or internal reconstruction will determine the spatial structure of the tissue and its mechanical properties. The appearance of a factor disturbing the balance between biological processes, e.g. a disease, will cause changes in the spatial structure of bones, thus affecting its mechanical properties. One of the bone diseases most common in an increasingly ageing population is osteoarthritis, also referred to as degenerative joint disease. It is estimated that in 2050 about 1300 million people will show symptoms of OA. The appearance of a pathological stimulus disturbs the balance of the processes of degradation and synthesis of articular cartilage, chondrocytes and the extracellular matrix, and the subchondral bone layer. As osteoarthritis progresses, study of the epiphysis reveals increasingly widespread changes of the articular surface and the internal structure of bone tissue. In this paper, the authors point out the differences in the mechanical properties of cancellous bone tissue forming the proximal epiphysis of the femoral bone during the progressive stages of OA. In order to determine microproperties of bone trabeculae, specimens from different stages of the disease (N=9) were subjected to microindentation testing, which made it possible to determine the material properties of bone tissue, such as microhardness HV and Young׳s modulus E. In addition, mechanical tests were supplemented with Raman spectroscopy, which determine the degree of bone mineralization, and measurements of structural properties based on analysis using microCT. The conducted tests were used to establish both quantitative and quantitative description of changes in the structural and mechanical properties connected with reorganization of trabeculae making up the bone in the various stages of osteoarthritis. The proposed description will supplement existing knowledge in the literature about identification of the processes occurring during the development of this disease. •Significant changes in trabeculae material properties in progressive stages of the OA.•Bone tissue within the femoral head is not homogeneous in its mechanical properties.•Reduction of the microhardness and bone tissue mineralization in subchondral region.•Quantitative and qualitative description of changes in the mechanical properties.