HYPOTHESIS: This study reassessed the sensitivity and the specificity of the external rotator lag sign (ERLS) for diagnosis of supraspinatus tears in a large cohort of patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The ERLS was used to assess 401 consecutive patients with 406 painful shoulder conditions. The clinical diagnosis was controlled either arthroscopically or by open surgery. RESULTS: For isolated full-thickness supraspinatus tears, the ERLS had a sensitivity of 56% and a specificity of 98%. When the lesion involved the infraspinatus and the teres minor the sensitivity improved substantially. There was a strong correlation between the extension of the tear and the amount of the lag. The lag increased from 7 degrees for an isolated rupture of the supraspinatus tendon to 26 degrees in case of extension to the teres minor. CONCLUSION: The ERLS is highly specific and acceptably sensitive for diagnosis of full-thickness tears, even in case of an isolated lesion of the supraspinatus tendon. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 2; Prospective cohort treatment study.
HYPOTHESIS: This study reassessed the sensitivity and the specificity of the external rotator lag sign (ERLS) for diagnosis of supraspinatus tears in a large cohort of patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The ERLS was used to assess 401 consecutive patients with 406 painful shoulder conditions. The clinical diagnosis was controlled either arthroscopically or by open surgery. RESULTS: For isolated full-thickness supraspinatus tears, the ERLS had a sensitivity of 56% and a specificity of 98%. When the lesion involved the infraspinatus and the teres minor the sensitivity improved substantially. There was a strong correlation between the extension of the tear and the amount of the lag. The lag increased from 7 degrees for an isolated rupture of the supraspinatus tendon to 26 degrees in case of extension to the teres minor. CONCLUSION: The ERLS is highly specific and acceptably sensitive for diagnosis of full-thickness tears, even in case of an isolated lesion of the supraspinatus tendon. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 2; Prospective cohort treatment study.
Authors: Nitin B Jain; Jennifer Luz; Laurence D Higgins; Yan Dong; Jon J P Warner; Elizabeth Matzkin; Jeffrey N Katz Journal: Am J Phys Med Rehabil Date: 2017-03 Impact factor: 2.159
Authors: Breda H Eubank; Nicholas G Mohtadi; Mark R Lafave; J Preston Wiley; Aaron J Bois; Richard S Boorman; David M Sheps Journal: BMC Med Res Methodol Date: 2016-05-20 Impact factor: 4.615