Varus or valgus deformities and metabolic alterations of the articular cartilage and synovialis of patients with gonarthrosis (n = 67) had been analysed. The increase of axial deviation went together with a significant change of the LDH-activity of the cartilage. The increasing activity of the LDHH-subunits depending on the axial deviation corresponded exactly with the maximum stress on the articular surface calculated by Maquet. On the other hand alterations of the LDH isoenzyme distribution of the synovialis could be found with increasing activity of the LDHM subunits. A close correlation of the whole joint metabolism and the hypercompression of the cartilage is obvious.
Aged Cartilage, Articular