P Neuman1, H Owman2, G Müller3, M Englund4, C J Tiderius2, L E Dahlberg2. 1. Department of Orthopaedics, Clinical Sciences, Malmö, Lund University, Sweden. Electronic address: paul.neuman@skane.se. 2. Department of Orthopaedics, Clinical Sciences, Malmö, Lund University, Sweden. 3. Department of Radiology, Clinical Sciences, Malmö, Lund University, Sweden. 4. Department of Orthopaedics, Clinical Sciences, Malmö, Lund University, Sweden; Clinical Epidemiology Research & Training Unit, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To assess knee cartilage quality and subjective knee function, 20 years after injury in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injured copers. METHOD: We examined 32 knees using delayed gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of cartilage (dGEMRIC), 20 years after a complete ACL tear. Only subjects who had coped with the ACL injury without ACL reconstruction (ACLR), and who presented without radiographic signs of osteoarthritis (OA) at an earlier 16-year follow-up, were included in this study. The quality of the central weight-bearing parts of the medial and lateral femoral cartilage was estimated with dGEMRIC (T1Gd). These results were compared with corresponding results in 24 healthy individuals, and with the subjects' self-reported subjective knee function using the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) questionnaire. RESULTS: The values of T1Gd in the medial and lateral femoral cartilage of the study group (mean (95% CI)), were 404 (385-423) and 427 (399-455) ms, not statistically different from those of the healthy reference group (P = 0.065 and 0.31). The subjective knee function 20 years after the injury, according to the five domains of the KOOS score, was good, with a mean score of 90 ± 11. Values of T1Gd for the medial femoral cartilage were correlated with the KOOS subgroup QOL (P = 0.021, Pearson correlation). CONCLUSIONS: Subjects who have managed to cope with their ACL injury for 20 years with sustained good subjective knee function also seem to have knee cartilage of good quality, with T1Gd values not very different from a healthy reference group.
OBJECTIVE: To assess knee cartilage quality and subjective knee function, 20 years after injury in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injured copers. METHOD: We examined 32 knees using delayed gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of cartilage (dGEMRIC), 20 years after a complete ACL tear. Only subjects who had coped with the ACL injury without ACL reconstruction (ACLR), and who presented without radiographic signs of osteoarthritis (OA) at an earlier 16-year follow-up, were included in this study. The quality of the central weight-bearing parts of the medial and lateral femoral cartilage was estimated with dGEMRIC (T1Gd). These results were compared with corresponding results in 24 healthy individuals, and with the subjects' self-reported subjective knee function using the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) questionnaire. RESULTS: The values of T1Gd in the medial and lateral femoral cartilage of the study group (mean (95% CI)), were 404 (385-423) and 427 (399-455) ms, not statistically different from those of the healthy reference group (P = 0.065 and 0.31). The subjective knee function 20 years after the injury, according to the five domains of the KOOS score, was good, with a mean score of 90 ± 11. Values of T1Gd for the medial femoral cartilage were correlated with the KOOS subgroup QOL (P = 0.021, Pearson correlation). CONCLUSIONS: Subjects who have managed to cope with their ACL injury for 20 years with sustained good subjective knee function also seem to have knee cartilage of good quality, with T1Gd values not very different from a healthy reference group.
Authors: Florian Schmaranzer; Pascal C Haefeli; Markus S Hanke; Emanuel F Liechti; Stefan F Werlen; Klaus A Siebenrock; Moritz Tannast Journal: Clin Orthop Relat Res Date: 2017-04 Impact factor: 4.176
Authors: Asbjørn Årøen; Helga Brøgger; Jan Harald Røtterud; Einar Andreas Sivertsen; Lars Engebretsen; May Arna Risberg Journal: BMC Musculoskelet Disord Date: 2016-02-11 Impact factor: 2.362