Chronic Nicotine Exposure Alters Uninjured Tendon Vascularity and Viscoelasticity.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Although nicotine and tobacco use are well established to have adverse health effects, the effects on tendons are less well understood. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of chronic nicotine exposure on Achilles tendon (AT) and supraspinatus tendon (SS) physiologic and mechanical properties in a rodent model.

Methods

Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 20) were exposed to either 0.9% saline or 36 mg/mL nicotine through an implantable osmotic pump for 12 weeks. At 12 weeks, the AT was imaged in vivo with contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CE-US) to assess vascularity. Bilateral AT and SS were then harvested for ex vivo biomechanical analysis. Statistical analysis was performed using Student t test and Mann Whitney U test.

Results

AT CE-US

SUBMITTER: Gittings D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7723357 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature