Increased risk of shoulder calcific tendinopathy in diabetes mellitus: A nationwide, population-based, matched cohort study

Association of calcific rotator cuff tendinopathy with nephrolithiasis and/or cholelithiasis: A case-control study

This study aimed to examine the association between calcific rotator cuff tendinopathy (RCT) and nephrolithiasis and/or cholelithiasis. A case-control study was conducted on patients diagnosed with RCT between June 2016 and June 2022. RCT was confirmed by ultrasound, and patients were divided into 2 groups: calcific RCT (case) and non-calcific RCT (control). Data were collected retrospectively from electronic medical records and completed by phone calls, looking for a history of nephrolithiasis and/or cholelithiasis; based on clinical features or incidental findings on abdominal and pelvic imaging. A total of 210 patients with RCT were included. Among the 95 cases of calcific RCT, 43 had a history of lithiasis (45.3%) against 23 (20%) from the non-calcific RCT group (P < .001); 21 patients suffered from nephrolithiasis (22.1%) and 26 had cholelithiasis (27.4%) versus 10 (8.7%) (P = .006) and 16 (13.9%) (P = .015) in the non-calcific RCT group, respectively. Logistic regression showed that the independent predictors of calcific RCT included a history of nephrolithiasis (OR, 4.38; 95% CI: 1.61-11.92, P = .004) and a history of cholelithiasis (OR, 3.83; 95% CI: 1.64-8.94, P = .002). In patients with calcific RCT, the occurrence of lithiasis was significantly associated in the bivariate analysis with higher age, body mass index, fasting blood sugar, and HbA1c (all with P < .05), but only with the presence of another site of calcific tendinopathy than the shoulder (OR, 3.11; 95% CI: 1.12-8.65, P = .03) in the multivariate analysis. Nephrolithiasis and/or cholelithiasis are associated with calcific RCT, and their presence predicts calcific RCT at least 3 times. Further research is required to determine the common risk factors and preventive measures against lithogenesis in patients with calcific RCT, nephrolithiasis, and cholelithiasis.

Imaging of calcific tendinopathy: natural history, migration patterns, pitfalls, and management: a review

Calcific tendinopathy is characterized by the deposition of calcium hydroxyapatite crystals in various tendons of the body. Terms like calcium tendinitis, tendinosis, and tendinopathy are used interchangeably. Calcific tendinopathy is a common and well-documented ailment in the literature. Although common, the natural history, aetiology, and progression of calcific tendinitis are poorly understood. The treatment options include conservative and interventional measures. However, these measures cannot be applied as a blanket and are often tailored depending on the stage/phase of the disease. Out of the recognized stages of the disease, the resorptive stage causes the utmost symptoms when the calcium is rather soft and unstable. During this stage, the calcium may migrate beyond expected resorption and get deposited in the adjacent tissues contiguous with the calcium focus. The common destinations include bursal migration, intraosseous migration, muscular migration, and other less common migration sites. Such atypical presentations can lead to dilemmas in the diagnosis, prolongation of the diagnostic pathway, unwarranted apprehension, and treatment delay. Radiologists' role in this situation is to correctly recognize the imaging findings of atypical presentations of calcific tendinopathy and prevent unnecessary diagnostic and interventional studies. In this review article, we describe the pathogenic pathway and natural history of calcific tendinopathy from a radiologist's perspective and discuss different migratory patterns of calcium in calcific tendinopathy not only around the shoulder but also in other areas of the body on different imaging modalities. We also show a few examples of mimics and pitfalls on imaging. Finally, we discuss the appropriate management option of this condition.

Untargeted metabolomics reveals dynamic changes in metabolic profiles of rat supraspinatus tendon at three different time points after diabetes induction

Objective

To investigate the dynamic changes of metabolite composition in rat supraspinatus tendons at different stages of diabetes by untargeted metabolomics analysis.

Methods

A total of 80 Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into normal (NG, n = 20) and type 2 diabetes mellitus groups (T2DM, n = 60) and subdivided into three groups according to the duration of diabetes: T2DM-4w, T2DM-12w, and T2DM-24w groups; the duration was calculated from the time point of T2DM rat model establishment. The three comparison groups were set up in this study, T2DM-4w group vs. NG, T2DM-12w group vs. T2DM-4w group, and T2DM-24w group vs. T2DM-12w group. The metabolite profiles of supraspinatus tendon were obtained using tandem mass spectrometry. Metabolomics multivariate statistics were used for metabolic data analysis and differential metabolite (DEM) determination. The intersection of the three comparison groups' DEMs was defined as key metabolites that changed consistently in the supraspinatus tendon after diabetes induction; then, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis was performed.

Results

T2DM-4w group vs. NG, T2DM-12w group vs. T2DM-4w group, and T2DM-24w group vs. T2DM-12w group detected 94 (86 up-regulated and 8 down-regulated), 36 (13 up-regulated and 23 down-regulated) and 86 (24 up-regulated and 62 down-regulated) DEMs, respectively. Seven key metabolites of sustained changes in the supraspinatus tendon following induction of diabetes include D-Lactic acid, xanthine, O-acetyl-L-carnitine, isoleucylproline, propoxycarbazone, uric acid, and cytidine, which are the first identified biomarkers of the supraspinatus tendon as it progresses through the course of diabetes. The results of KEGG pathway enrichment analysis showed that the main pathway of supraspinatus metabolism affected by diabetes (p < 0.05) was purine metabolism. The results of the KEGG metabolic pathway vs. DEMs correlation network graph revealed that uric acid and xanthine play a role in more metabolic pathways.

Conclusion

Untargeted metabolomics revealed the dynamic changes of metabolite composition in rat supraspinatus tendons at different stages of diabetes, and the newly discovered seven metabolites, especially uric acid and xanthine, may provide novel research to elucidate the mechanism of diabetes-induced tendinopathy.

Diabetes mellitus tendino-myopathy: epidemiology, clinical features, diagnosis and management of an overlooked diabetic complication

Tendino-myopathy, an unexplored niche, is a non-vascular unstated T2DM complication, which is largely disregarded in clinical practice, thus, we aim to explore it in this review. Literature search using published data from different online resources. Epidemiologically, reported prevalence varies around 10-90%, which is marked variable and unreliable. Clinically, diabetic tendino-myopathy is typified by restriction of movement, pain/tenderness, cramps and decreased functions. Moreover, myopathy is characterized by muscle atrophy, weakness and ischemia, and tendinopathy by deformities and reduced functions/precision. In tendonapthy, the three most affected regions are: the hand (cheiroarthropathy, Dupuytren's contracture, flexor tenosynovitis and carpel tunnel syndrome), shoulder (adhesive capsulitis, rotator cuff tendinopathy and tenosynovitis) and foot (Achilles tendinopathy with the risk of tear/rupture), in addition to diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis. Pathologically, it is characterized by decreased muscle fiber mass and increased fibrosis, with marked extracellular matrix remodeling and deposition of collagens. The tendon changes include decreased collagen fibril diameter, changed morphology, increased packing and disorganization, with overall thickening, and calcification. Diagnosis is basically clinical and radiological, while diagnostic biomarkers are awaited. Management is done by diabetes control, special nutrition and physiotherapy, while analgesics, steroids and surgery are used in tendinopathy. Several antisarcopenic drugs are in the pipeline. This review aims to bridge clinical practice with research and update routine diabetic checkup by inclusion of tendino-myopathies in the list with an emphasis on management.

Risk Factor Analysis for Predicting the Onset of Rotator Cuff Calcific Tendinitis Based on Artificial Intelligence

Background

Symptomatic rotator cuff calcific tendinitis (RCCT) is a common shoulder disorder, and approaches combined with artificial intelligence greatly facilitate the development of clinical practice. Current scarce knowledge of the onset suggests that clinicians may need to explore this disease thoroughly.

Methods

Clinical data were retrospectively collected from subjects diagnosed with RCCT at our institution within the period 2008 to 2020. A standardized questionnaire related to shoulder symptoms was completed in all cases, and standardized radiographs of both shoulders were extracted using a human-computer interactive electronic medical system (EMS) to clarify the clinical diagnosis of symptomatic RCCT. Based on the exclusion of asymptomatic subjects, risk factors in the baseline characteristics significantly associated with the onset of symptomatic RCCT were assessed via stepwise logistic regression analysis.

Results

Of the 1,967 consecutive subjects referred to our academic institution for shoulder discomfort, 237 were diagnosed with symptomatic RCCT (12.05%). The proportion of women and the prevalence of clinical comorbidities were significantly higher in the RCCT cohort than those in the non-RCCT cohort. Stepwise logistic regression analysis confirmed that female gender, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus, and hypothyroidism were independent risk factors for the entire cohort. Stratified by gender, the study found a partial overlap of risk factors contributing to morbidity in men and women. Diagnosis of hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus, and hypothyroidism in male cases and diabetes mellitus in female cases were significantly associated with symptomatic RCCT.

Conclusion

Independent predictors of symptomatic RCCT are female, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus, and hypothyroidism. Men diagnosed with hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus, and hypothyroidism are at high risk for symptomatic RCCT, while more medical attention is required for women with diabetes mellitus. Artificial intelligence offers pioneering innovations in the diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal disorders, and careful assessment through individualized risk stratification can help predict onset and targeted early stage treatment.