gms | German Medical Science

Joint German Congress of Orthopaedics and Trauma Surgery

02. - 06.10.2006, Berlin

Patterns of FGF-b expression in patients with normal and delayed healing processes after long bone fracture

Meeting Abstract

  • M. Reumann - BG- Unfallklinik Ludwigshafen Unfallchirurgie, Universität Heidelberg, Ludwigshafen, Germany
  • A. Moghaddam - BG- Unfallklinik Ludwigshafen Unfallchirurgie, Universität Heidelberg, Ludwigshafen, Germany
  • S. Weiss - Orthopädische Universitätsklinik Heidelberg- Schlierbach, Universität Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
  • W. Richter - Orthopädische Universitätsklinik Heidelberg- Schlierbach, Universität Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
  • A. Wentzensen - BG- Unfallklinik Ludwigshafen Unfallchirurgie, Universität Heidelberg, Ludwigshafen, Germany
  • G. Zimmermann - BG- Unfallklinik Ludwigshafen Unfallchirurgie, Universität Heidelberg, Ludwigshafen, Germany

Deutscher Kongress für Orthopädie und Unfallchirurgie. 70. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Unfallchirurgie, 92. Tagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Orthopädie und Orthopädische Chirurgie und 47. Tagung des Berufsverbandes der Fachärzte für Orthopädie. Berlin, 02.-06.10.2006. Düsseldorf, Köln: German Medical Science; 2006. DocE.4.1-1472

The electronic version of this article is the complete one and can be found online at: http://www.egms.de/en/meetings/dgu2006/06dgu0103.shtml

Published: September 28, 2006

© 2006 Reumann et al.
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Outline

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Research question:Animal experiments have shown that secondary healing processes after bone fracture with callus development are affected by different cytokines with high local FGF-b concentration. As shown in our previous studies, systematic measurement can reflect the local expression of such grwoth factors. The aim of this study was a comparison in the course of FGF-b concentration for delayed and regular healing processes after bone fracture in humans.

Method: Serum from 136 patients with diaphysis fractures of long bones without substantial comorbidity was taken prospectively from peripheral blood after 1, 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks, as well as 6 and 12 months after fracture consolidation. Matched paires of 15 patients showing delayed healing processes and 15 patients healing regularly were combined according to specific criteria. Their FGF-b data from the serum were assessed with ELISA over the healing period and compared using the statistical methods of Friedman, Wilcoxon, and Mann-Whitney U Test.

Results: FGF-b concentration in the delayed healing group was significantly different from the control group. While there was a significant increase in FGF-b concentration for those patients with regular healing, the serum levels of patients displaying delayed healing showed no such increase (p=0.03). After the second week, concentration in the control group started dropping to reach its initial level in the fourth week.

Conclusion: This study demonstrates a correlation between healing process and FGF-b concentration detected in the serum. This growth factor shows a typical distribution pattern during the course of healing after bone fractions. If there is no significantly increased level of FGF-b concentration in the initial phase after the fracture, which concurrently, reflectes early fracture calluses development, the probability of delayed fracture healing is high. This might be a precondition for early therapeutic intervention.