scholarly journals Cartilage Matrix Degeneration Occurs within the First Year after ACLR and Is Associated with Impaired Clinical Outcome

Cartilage ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 194760352110638
Author(s):  
Ashley A. Williams ◽  
Brittney C. Deadwiler ◽  
Jason L. Dragoo ◽  
Constance R. Chu

Objective Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) has not been shown to decrease the risk for development of post-traumatic osteoarthritis. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) T2 mapping can be used to assess cartilage compositional changes. This study tests whether (1) worse cartilage arthroscopic status at ACLR is reflected by higher cartilage T2 values in matched study regions 6 weeks and 1 year after ACLR, and (2) increasing cartilage T2 values between 6 weeks and 1 year after ACLR are associated with worsening patient-reported outcomes. Design Twenty-two participants with ACLR and 26 controls underwent 3T MRI. T2 values in medial and lateral femoral and tibial cartilage were measured at 6 weeks and 1 year after ACLR and compared with arthroscopic grades, Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Scores (KOOS), and control T2 values. Results Most (59%-86%) cartilage study regions examined by arthroscopy demonstrated intact articular surfaces. Average T2 value increased in 3 of 4 study regions between 6 weeks and 1 year after ACLR ( P = .001-.011). T2 value increased ( P < .013) even for participants whose cartilage had intact articular surfaces at ACLR. Participants with ACLR who showed greater increases in cartilage T2 values had less improvement to KOOS Quality of Life ( P = .009, ρ = −0.62). Discussion Cartilage status assessed arthroscopically at ACLR and by MRI T2 maps 6 weeks later was healthier than cartilage status assessed by MRI T2 maps at 1-year follow-up. Progressive T2 elevations were observed over the first year after ACLR even in patients with arthroscopically intact cartilage at the time of surgery and were associated with reduced improvement in knee quality of life suggesting preosteoarthritis.

2020 ◽  
Vol 55 (7) ◽  
pp. 707-716
Author(s):  
Julie P. Burland ◽  
Jennifer S. Howard ◽  
Adam S. Lepley ◽  
Lindsay J. DiStefano ◽  
Laura Frechette ◽  
...  

Context Depressed patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are directly related to suboptimal recovery after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). Various PROs commonly used after ACLR can provide a gross estimation of function but do not fully elucidate the causes of self-perceived disability. Objective To more fully characterize the factors driving responses on PROs. Design Cross-sectional study. A mixed-methods approach was used, in which qualitative interviews were conducted alongside administration of PROs to uncover the themes behind a participant's PRO responses. Setting Laboratory. Patients or Other Participants Twenty-one individuals with unilateral ACLR (age = 20.90 ± 2.86 years, height = 172.0 ± 11.03 cm; mass = 71.52 ± 13.59 kg, postsurgery = 3.66 ± 3.03 years). Main Outcome Measure(s) Patient-reported outcome measures were administered and qualitative interviews were conducted. The PROs consisted of the International Knee Documentation Committee form, Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcomes Score (KOOS), ACL-Return to Sport after Injury (ACL-RSI) scale, and Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK). A hierarchical cluster analysis was used to identify subgroups based on PRO responses. Qualitative interviews provided supplemental insight into perceived disability. Independent t tests examined cluster differences for themes. Spearman ρ correlations indicated associations between PRO responses and themes. Results Two clusters (perceived high or low disability) emerged. Individuals with low perceived disability scored better on all PROs (P &lt; .05) except for the KOOS-Activities of Daily Living. Internal and external facilitators or barrier subthemes emerged from the interviews. A significant difference was present between clusters and themes. Lower TSK andgreater ACL-RSI and KOOS-Quality of Life scores were associated with more perceived facilitators. Conclusions Participants with greater internal motivation and confidence and a support network had improved PROs. Those with avoidance tendencies, fear, lack of clear expectations, and less social support scored worse on PROs. The TSK, ACL-RSI, and KOOS-Quality of Life scales were best able to capture the constructs associated with perceived wellness, which reinforces their utility in recovery.


2016 ◽  
Vol 45 (4) ◽  
pp. 915-921 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew R. Titchenal ◽  
Constance R. Chu ◽  
Jennifer C. Erhart-Hledik ◽  
Thomas P. Andriacchi

Background: Altered knee kinematics after anterior cruciate ligament injury and reconstruction (ACLR) have been implicated in the development of posttraumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA), leading to poor long-term clinical outcomes. Purpose: This study was conducted to determine (1) whether the average knee center of rotation (KCOR), a multidimensional metric of knee kinematics, of the ACL-reconstructed knee during walking differs from that of the uninjured contralateral knee; (2) whether KCOR changes between 2 and 4 years after surgery; and (3) whether early KCOR changes predict patient-reported outcomes 8 years after ACLR. Study Design: Descriptive laboratory study. Methods: Twenty-six human participants underwent gait analysis with calculation of bilateral KCOR during walking at 2 and 4 years after unilateral ACLR. Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) and Lysholm score results were collected at 2, 4, and 8 years after ACLR in 13 of these participants. Results: The ACL-reconstructed knee showed greater medial compartment motion because of pivoting about a more lateral KCOR ( P = .03) than the contralateral knee at 2 years. KCOR became less lateral over time ( P = .047), with values approaching those of the uninjured knee by 4 years ( P = .55). KCOR was also more anterior in the ACL-reconstructed knee at 2 years ( P = .02). Between 2 and 4 years, KCOR moved posteriorly in 16 (62%) and anteriorly in 10 (38%) participants. Increasing the anterior position of KCOR in the ACL-reconstructed knee from 2 to 4 years correlated with worsening clinical outcomes at 4 years (KOOS–Quality of Life, R2 = 0.172) and more strongly at 8 years (Lysholm score, R2 = 0.41; KOOS-Pain, R2 = 0.37; KOOS-Symptoms, R2 = 0.58; and KOOS–Quality of Life, R2 = 0.50). Conclusion: The observed changes to KCOR during walking between 2 and 4 years after ACLR show progressive improvement toward kinematic symmetry over the 2-year follow-up. The correlation between increasingly abnormal kinematics and worsening clinical outcomes years later in a subset of participants provides a potential explanation for the incidence of PTOA after ACLR.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 68
Author(s):  
Cristina Bobes Álvarez ◽  
Paloma Issa-Khozouz Santamaría ◽  
Rubén Fernández-Matías ◽  
Daniel Pecos-Martín ◽  
Alexander Achalandabaso-Ochoa ◽  
...  

Patients undergoing anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction and patients suffering from knee osteoarthritis (KOA) have been shown to have quadriceps muscle weakness and/or atrophy in common. The physiological mechanisms of blood flow restriction (BFR) training could facilitate muscle hypertrophy. The purpose of this systematic review is to investigate the effects of BFR training on quadriceps cross-sectional area (CSA), pain perception, function and quality of life on these patients compared to a non-BFR training. A literature research was performed using Web of Science, PEDro, Scopus, MEDLINE, Dialnet, CINAHL and The Cochrane Library databases. The main inclusion criteria were that papers were English or Spanish language reports of randomized controlled trials involving patients with ACL reconstruction or suffering from KOA. The initial research identified 159 publications from all databases; 10 articles were finally included. The search was conducted from April to June 2020. Four of these studies found a significant improvement in strength. A significant increase in CSA was found in two studies. Pain significantly improved in four studies and only one study showed a significant improvement in functionality/quality of life. Low-load training with BFR may be an effective option treatment for increasing quadriceps strength and CSA, but more research is needed.


2018 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
pp. 334-338 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kate E. Webster ◽  
Julian A. Feller ◽  
Alexander J. Kimp ◽  
Timothy S. Whitehead

Background: Patients with bilateral anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries tend to report worse results in terms of knee function and quality of life as compared with those with unilateral injury. There are limited data regarding return to preinjury sport in this group. Purpose: To report return-to-sport rates for patients who had bilateral ACL reconstruction and to compare outcomes according to age and sex. Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: A total of 107 patients (62 male, 45 female) who underwent primary ACL reconstruction surgery to both knees completed a detailed sports activity survey at a mean 5-year follow-up (range, 2.5-10 years). Follow-up also included the International Knee Documentation Committee subjective form, Marx Activity Scale, and Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score–Quality of Life subscale. Rates of return to preinjury levels of sport were calculated for the whole cohort, and for further analysis, the group was divided according to age (<25 vs ≥25 years), sex, and time between the reconstruction procedures (<3 vs ≥3 years). Results: The rate of return to preinjury sport after bilateral ACL reconstruction was 40% (95% CI, 31%-50%), as compared with an 83% (95% CI, 74%-88%) return rate after the first reconstruction procedure. Although not statistically significant, return rates were higher for male versus female patients (47% vs 31%) and older versus younger patients (45% vs 31%). Of those who returned to their preinjury levels of sport after the second reconstruction, 72% thought that they could perform as well as before their ACL injuries. In contrast, only 20% thought that they could perform as well if they returned to a lower level. Fear of reinjury was the most common reason cited for failure to return to sport after the second reconstruction. Patient-reported outcome scores were higher for those who returned to their preinjury levels of sport but did not differ for sex and age. Conclusion: Return-to-sport rates drop markedly after a second (contralateral) ACL reconstruction, with less than half of the investigated cohort returning to its preinjury level of sport. Return-to-sport outcomes are less than ideal for patients who have ACL reconstruction surgery to both knees.


2018 ◽  
Vol 46 (12) ◽  
pp. 2915-2921 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cale A. Jacobs ◽  
Michael R. Peabody ◽  
Christian Lattermann ◽  
Jose F. Vega ◽  
Laura J. Huston ◽  
...  

Background: The Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) has demonstrated inferior psychometric properties when compared with the International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) subjective knee form when assessing outcomes after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. The KOOS, Joint Replacement (KOOS, JR) is a validated short-form instrument to assess patient-reported outcomes (PROs) after knee arthroplasty, and the purpose of this study was to determine if augmenting the KOOS, JR with additional KOOS items would allow for the creation of a short-form KOOS-based global knee score for patients undergoing ACL reconstruction, with psychometric properties similar to those of the IKDC. Hypothesis: An augmented version of the KOOS, JR could be created that would demonstrate convergent validity with the IKDC but avoid the ceiling effects and limitations previously noted with several of the KOOS subscales. Study Design: Cohort study (diagnosis); Level of evidence, 2. Methods: Based on preoperative and 2-year postoperative responses to the KOOS questionnaires from a sample of 1904 patients undergoing ACL reconstruction, an aggregate score combining the KOOS, JR and the 4 KOOS Quality of Life subscale questions, termed the KOOSglobal, was developed. Psychometric properties of the KOOSglobal were then compared with those of the IKDC subjective score. Convergent validity between the KOOSglobal and IKDC was assessed with a Spearman correlation (ρ). Responsiveness of the 2 instruments was assessed by calculating the pre- to postoperative effect size and relative efficiency. Finally, the presence of a preoperative floor or postoperative ceiling effect was defined with the threshold of 15% of patients reporting either the worst possible (0 for KOOSglobal and IKDC) or the best possible (100 for KOOSglobal and IKDC) scores, respectively. Results: The newly developed KOOSglobal was responsive after ACL reconstruction and demonstrated convergent validity with the IKDC. The KOOSglobal significantly correlated with the IKDC scores (ρ = 0.91, P < .001), explained 83% of the variability in IKDC scores, and was similarly responsive (relative efficiency = 0.63). While there was a higher rate of perfect postoperative scores with the KOOSglobal (213 of 1904, 11%) than with the IKDC (6%), the KOOSglobal was still below the 15% ceiling effect threshold. Conclusion: The large ceiling effects limit the ability to use several of the KOOS subscales with the younger, more active ACL population. However, by creating an aggregate score from the KOOS, JR and 4 KOOS Quality of Life subscale questions, the 11-item KOOSglobal offers a responsive PRO tool after ACL reconstruction that converges with the information captured with the IKDC. Also, by offering the ability to calculate multiple scores from a single questionnaire, the KOOSglobal may provide the orthopaedic community a single PRO platform to be used across knee-related subspecialties. Registration: NCT00478894 ( ClinicalTrials.gov identifier).


2007 ◽  
Vol 35 (9) ◽  
pp. 1450-1458 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suzanne M. Tanner ◽  
Katie N. Dainty ◽  
Robert G. Marx ◽  
Alexandra Kirkley

Background Knee-specific quality-of-life instruments are commonly used outcome measures. However, they have not been compared for their ability to detect symptoms and disabilities important to patients. Study Design Cohort study (diagnosis); Level of evidence, 1. Methods Subjective portions of 11 knee-specific instruments were consolidated. The frequency and importance of each item were assessed. One hundred fifty-three patients with anterior cruciate ligament ruptures, isolated meniscal tears, or osteoarthritis were polled. Instruments were ranked according to the number of items with high mean importance, high frequency importance product, and low mean importance, and according to the number endorsed by at least 51% of patients. Results For anterior cruciate ligament tears, the Mohtadi quality-of-life instrument scored highest in 3 categories. For meniscal tears, the Western Ontario Meniscal Evaluation Tool scored highly in all 4 categories. For osteoarthritis, the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index scored highly in 4 categories. Of the general knee instruments, the International Knee Documentation Committee Standard Evaluation Form and the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score scored favorably. Conclusion The Mohtadi quality-of-life instrument, Western Ontario Meniscal Evaluation Tool, and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index—disease-specific instruments—contain many items important to patients. Of general knee instruments studied, the International Knee Documentation Committee Standard Evaluation Form and the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score contain the most items important to patients. Clinical Relevance This study guides clinicians and researchers in selecting instruments that ensure that the patient's perspective is considered for outcome studies involving 3 common knee disorders.


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