The American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) and the Arthritis Foundation (AF) have jointly announced a first (and hopefully ongoing and permanent) grant to support innovative clinical research that advances knowledge toward treatments to stop or slow ankle osteoarthritis.
Four Researchers Share AOFAS/AF Award for Ankle Arthritis Research
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The four recipients, who will share this significant $600,000 grant, are University of Colorado-Denver’s Kenneth J. Hunt, M.D., University of Iowa’s Donald D. Anderson, Ph.D., Duke University’s Cesar de Cesar Netto, Ph.D. and Hospital for Special Surgery’s Constantine A. Demetracopoulos, M.D.
“This award represents a major step forward for our collaborative effort to understand the unique nature of ankle arthritis. Findings could lead to novel preventative measures and targeted treatments,” said Kenneth J. Hunt, M.D., one of the recipients of the award. “We are grateful to the Arthritis Foundation and AOFAS for supporting this work.”
Constantine A. Demetracopoulos, M.D., at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, said this grant gives his research team the opportunity to study bone quality in ankle arthritis patients in a multidisciplinary and meaningful way.
“Our hope is that our research will lead to better treatment options for patients early on in the disease and improved decision-making and outcomes in our surgical interventions for patients with end-stage ankle arthritis,” he said.
Presenting the 2023 AF/AOFAS Ankle Arthritis Think Tank First-Ever Grant Awardees
- Study Subject: Determining the Traumatic Origins of Ankle OA and the Time to Joint Degeneration Donald D. Anderson, Ph.D., University of Iowa and Cesar de Cesar Netto, M.D., Ph.D., Duke University
- Study Subject: The Impact of Bone Quality and Histopathology in Ankle Osteoarthritis Constantine A. Demetracopoulos, M.D., and Jensen K. Henry, M.D., Hospital for Special Surgery
- Study Subject: Defining the Unique Synovial Transcriptome and Proteome of Ankle Post-traumatic Osteoarthritis Kenneth J. Hunt, M.D., and Michael Zuscik, Ph.D., University of Colorado-Denver
“This award means so much to our research team,” said Donald D. Anderson, Ph.D. “We are establishing a multi-site clinical study group to retrospectively investigate how ankle osteoarthritis develops after different injuries. Our vision is to also position this group to study new interventions as they emerge.”
To read the full grant summaries and learn more about the AF/AOFAS Ankle Arthritis Think Tank Research Grants, visit aofas.org/arthritisgrants.
Affecting over 30 million Americans, osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. This month, AF and AOFAS awarded three grants, each totaling almost $200,000 over a two-year period, to AOFAS members dedicated to furthering their ankle osteoarthritis research.
About the AOFAS
The American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) mobilizes our dynamic community of foot and ankle orthopaedic surgeons to improve patient care through education, research, and advocacy. As the premier global organization for foot and ankle care, AOFAS delivers exceptional events and resources for continuous education, funds and promotes innovative research, and broadens patient understanding of foot and ankle conditions and treatments. By emphasizing collaboration and excellence, AOFAS inspires ever-increasing levels of professional performance leading to improved patient outcomes. For more information visit the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society online at aofas.org.
About the Arthritis Foundation
The Arthritis Foundation is fighting for all people who live with arthritis. As a Champion of Yes, it’s the Arthritis Foundation’s mission to turn the obstacles arthritis causes into opportunities. The Arthritis Foundation champions life-changing solutions and medical advancements, and it also provides ways for people to connect, break down barriers in health care, and join the fight for a cure—uniting hearts, minds, and resources to change the future of arthritis. To join the fight to cure arthritis, visit arthritis.org.
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This is a fascinating development. In my practice we've seen similar outcomes with the revised protocol. The key differentiator seems to be patient selection criteria. Has anyone else noticed the correlation with BMI thresholds?
Great point. I'd push back slightly on the conclusion, the sample size in the cited study is too small to draw population-level inferences. That said, the directional signal is compelling and worth a larger RCT.
We implemented a similar approach last year. Early results are promising but we're still gathering 12-month follow-up data. Happy to share our protocol if anyone is interested.
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