Abstract: Objective To explore the role of fibrogenic cytokines and inflammatory cytokines in the pathogenesis of frozen shoulder. Methods From September, 2014 to April, 2016, 20 patients with frozen shoulder accepted arthroscopic surgery were included, ten of them were diagnosed as primary frozen shoulder (group A), the other ten were secondary frozen shoulder (group B). Other ten patients undergoing shoulder arthroscopy for instability (4 cases), rotator cuff injury (3 cases) and subacromial impingement (3 cases) were as the controls (group C). The mRNA levels of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 1, MMP3, tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1, IL-6, IL-8, granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and M-CSF in synovium were analyzed with quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Results The expression of mRNA of MMP1, MMP3, TNF-α, IL-1, IL-6, IL-8, GM-CSF and M-CSF were more in group A and group B than in group C (P<0.05). There was no significant difference between group A and group B (P>0.05). Conclusion The fibrogenic cytokines and inflammatory cytokines may play a role in the pathogenesis of frozen shoulder.

Key words: frozen shoulder, synovium, fibration, inflammation, cytokine