Observational studyBMC musculoskeletal disorders2019
Tibiofemoral joint structural change from 2.5 to 4.5 years following ACL reconstruction with and without combined meniscal pathology.
Observational study in BMC musculoskeletal disorders, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
10 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 24 citations in OpenAlex.
- Molecular cartilage pathology following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: a systematic review of MRI studies.Frontiers in surgery · 2026Pooled it
- Gender differences in patterns of cartilage loss: Data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative.Osteoarthritis and cartilage · 2024Observational
- Towards a validated musculoskeletal knee model to estimate tibiofemoral kinematics and ligament strains: comparison of different anterolateral augmentation procedures combined with isolated ACL reconstructions.Biomedical engineering online · 2023Article
- Knee Cartilage Change within 5 Years after Aclr Using Hamstring Tendons with Preserved Tibial-Insertion: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Study Based on Magnetic Resonance Imaging.Journal of clinical medicine · 2022Article
- Effects of Joint Immobilization and Treadmill Exercise on Articular Cartilage After ACL Reconstruction in Rats.Orthopaedic journal of sports medicine · 2022Article
- Quadriceps muscle strength at 2 years following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction is associated with tibiofemoral joint cartilage volume.Knee surgery, sports traumatology, arthroscopy : official journal of the ESSKA · 2022Article
- Patellar cartilage increase following ACL reconstruction with and without meniscal pathology: a two-year prospective MRI morphological study.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2021Article
- Double-bundle anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction technique has advantages in chondroprotection and knee laxity control compared with single-bundle technique : A long-term follow-up with a minimum of 12 years.Knee surgery, sports traumatology, arthroscopy : official journal of the ESSKA · 2021Article
- Evaluation of the CTX-II Biomarker in Patients with Anterior Cruciate Ligament Tear: Pilot Study.Revista brasileira de ortopedia · 2021Article
- Factors Affecting the Femoral Cartilage Thickness After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction.Indian journal of orthopaedics · 2021Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
14 authors at 5 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundPeople who have had anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) are at a high risk of developing tibiofemoral joint (TFJ) osteoarthritis (OA), with concomitant meniscal injury elevating this risk. This study aimed to investigate OA-related morphological change over 2 years in the TFJ among individuals who have undergone ACLR with or without concomitant meniscal pathology and in healthy controls. A secondary aim was to examine associations of baseline TFJ cartilage defects and bone marrow lesions (BML) scores with tibial cartilage volume change in ACLR groups.
methodsFifty seven ACLR participants aged 18-40 years (32 isolated ACLR, 25 combined meniscal pathology) underwent knee magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) 2.5 and 4.5 years post-surgery. Nine healthy controls underwent knee MRI at the ~ 2-year intervals. Tibial cartilage volume, TFJ cartilage defects and BMLs were assessed from MRI.
resultsFor both ACLR groups, medial and lateral tibial cartilage volume increased over 2 years (P < 0.05). Isolated ACLR group had greater annual percentage increase in lateral tibial cartilage volume compared with controls and with the combined group (P = 0.03). Cartilage defects remained unchanged across groups. Both ACLR groups showed more lateral tibia BML regression compared with controls (P = 0.04). Baseline cartilage defects score was positively associated with cartilage volume increase at lateral tibia (P = 0.002) while baseline BMLs score was inversely related to medial tibia cartilage volume increase (P = 0.001) in the pooled ACLR group.
conclusionsTibial cartilage hypertrophy was apparent in ACLR knees from 2.5 to 4.5 years post-surgery and was partly dependent upon meniscal status together with the nature and location of the underlying pathology at baseline. Magnitude and direction of change in joint pathologies (i.e., cartilage defects, BMLs) were less predictable and either remained stable or improved over follow-up.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.