title: The warm knee sign--an evaluation.
abstract: The presence of an area of warmth at the knee has been described in cases of arterial occlusion at the popliteal fossa. A study was carried out to evaluate the significance of this sign by comparing clinical and thermographic findings with arteriographic results in a group of 30 patients. The clinical and thermographic findings were described with reference to the symptomatic limb. Clinically, 14/30 (47%) and thermographically, 16/30 (53%) had "positive" warm knee signs. The overall agreement between clinical impressions and thermographic findings was 28/30 (93%). The commonest arteriographic finding in patients with a positive warm knee sign was that the occlusion or stenosis ended at the adductor hiatus. Comparing this arteriographic finding with a positive warm knee sign, sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of 73%, 75%, 79% and 69% respectively were obtained suggesting that this is a useful sign, is of proven value and deserves its place in the initial screening of patients with peripheral vascular disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University College Hospital, Galway, Ireland.
authors.forename: D P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: O'Brien
authors.forename: T N
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Walsh
authors.forename: H F
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Given
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007717:Knee; D007866:Leg / Q000098:blood supply*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012881:Skin Temperature; D013817:Thermography