title: Is there an association between articular cartilage changes and degenerative meniscus tears?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of the present study was to evaluate whether horizontal cleavage and complex meniscus tears, which are degenerative tears, are associated with an increased incidence of cartilage damage, in comparison with patients having other patterns of meniscal injury.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case series study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected prospectively from 497 consecutive knee arthroscopies carried out from 1997 to 2001. Patient data (age, sex, duration of symptoms, injuries, and possible mechanism of injury), operative details (types and number of portals, equipment used), intra-articular findings (articular, meniscal and synovial lesions, and stability characteristics), and procedures performed were recorded. Articular lesions were noted on anatomic articular maps of the different functional zones using a system that presaged the current Internal Cartilage Repair Society system.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A comparison of patients with horizontal cleavage and complex meniscal tears to patients with other types of meniscal tear showed for the former (1) increased incidence of chondral lesions (88.4% v 69.6%, respectively, P < .001), (2) increased severity--type III and IV Outerbridge classification--of chondral lesions (52.8% v 29.4%, respectively, P < .001), and (3) increased incidence of patients having more than 1 chondral lesion (65.3% v 33%, respectively, P < .001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Complex and horizontal cleavage meniscal tears are highly associated with an increased incidence and severity of cartilage degeneration compared with other types of meniscal tears. Degenerative meniscus tears are not as benign as was previously thought. New age-related categories of chondral damage are emerging.
  
  
  METHODS
  Level IV, case series prognostic study.
authors.affiliation: Charing Cross Hospital and Ealing Hospital, Orthopaedic Department, London, England. jchristoforakis@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Christoforakis
authors.forename: Ragib
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pradhan
authors.forename: Jordi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sanchez-Ballester
authors.forename: Neil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hunt
authors.forename: Robin K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Strachan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000473:pathology; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D050724:Fractures, Cartilage / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008592:Menisci, Tibial / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D000070600:Tibial Meniscus Injuries; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000145:classification