Knee osteoarthritis is a common degenerative joint disease characterized by pain, stiffness, and functional limitation, significantly affecting quality of life. In addition to mechanical factors, cartilage degradation and extracellular matrix remodeling play a key role in disease progression. Therefore, identifying reliable biomarkers reflecting disease severity has become an important research focus. Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) is a structural component of cartilage associated with cartilage turnover, while matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) is a proteolytic enzyme involved in extracellular matrix degradation. Both biomarkers have been suggested to be elevated in osteoarthritis and may reflect disease severity. The aim of this cross-sectional observational study is to evaluate the relationship between serum COMP and MMP-3 levels and clinical and radiological severity in patients with knee osteoarthritis. Pain severity will be assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), functional status with the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), and radiological severity with the Kellgren-Lawrence classification. Functional performance will also be evaluated using the 5 Times Sit-to-Stand Test. Additionally, serum COMP and MMP-3 levels will be compared between patients with knee osteoarthritis and healthy controls. The findings of this study are expected to contribute to a better understanding of the relationship between biochemical markers and clinical severity in osteoarthritis and may provide insight into their potential diagnostic and prognostic value.
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Serum COMP and MMP-3 Levels
Timeframe: At baseline