Cartilage degeneration sign and diognosis of knee osteoarthritis / 中华风湿病学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To get new more sensitive signs reflecting cartilage degeneration,which were added to the present ARA differential criteria of knee osteoarthritis and to compare the sensitivity and specificity before and after new items.Methods Through review analysis of the clinical feature,radiography and operative presentation of 115 adult patients,the new signs reflecting cartilage degeneration as items were found,which were added to the present ARA differential criteria of knee osteoarthritis as new criteria.Then the 112 patients who have received either knee joint replacement or arthroscopy were re diagnosed with both the present ARA criteria and the new criteria.Sensitivity and specificity were calculated and compared.Results "Extensive knee joint tenderness" with cartilage degradation and "lockage on motion or a positive Apler test" were significantly related to the meniscus degradation.A 39 7% sensitivity of these patients was obtained using the present ARA clinical criteria,while it reached 70 6% using the new clinical criteria ( P 0 05).Conclusion The two new items added to the present ARA criteria help to increase the sensitivity for diagnosis of knee osteoarthritis without influence on the specificity.