Levodopa attenuates cellular apoptosis in steroid-associated necrosis of the femoral head

Xi, Hongbo; Tao, Weijian; Jian, Zhengguang; Sun, Xuefeng; Gong, Xiaohong; Huang, Lixin; Dong, Tianhua

Histopathologic changes. In group A at the 6th week, the bone trabeculae became thinner, sparser, the intramedullary hematopoietic cells were decreased, the fat cells proliferated and exhibited hypertrophy, and partial bone cellular nuclei were deeply stained. At the 8th week, the subchondral bone plate of the femoral head and the bone trabeculae became thinner, the continuity was interrupted, more bone cellular nuclei exhibited karyopyknosis, and the nuclei were deviated and deeply stained. The changes in the subchondral bone marrow area included: Large bone marrow fat tissues exhibited steatosis and dissolved; necrosis was aggravated; intramedullary vessels were compressed; the lumina was narrowed with visible fat emboli and thrombosis (Fig. 3) ; partial bones exhibited degeneration and necrosis; the number of normal cells in bone trabeculae were reduced; bone cells disappeared in the partial bone lacuna; and the empty bone lacuna were significantly increased (P<0.01), with aggravated vacuole degrees in bone lacuna. The average rate of empty bone lacunae was 33.86±8.38%.