title: MRI follow-up of conservatively treated meniscal knee lesions in general practice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate meniscal status change on follow-up MRI after 1 year, prognostic factors and association with clinical outcome in patients with conservatively treated knee injury.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analysed 403 meniscal horns in 101 conservatively treated patients (59 male; mean age 40 years) in general practice who underwent initial knee MRI within 5 weeks of trauma. We performed ordinal logistic regression analysis to analyse prognostic factors for meniscal change on follow-up MRI after 1 year, and we assessed the association with clinical outcome.
  
  
  RESULTS
  On follow-up MRI 49 meniscal horns had deteriorated and 18 had improved. Age (odds ratio [OR] 1.3/decade), body weight (OR 1.2/10 kg), total anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture on initial MRI (OR 2.4), location in the posterior horn of the medial meniscus (OR 3.0) and an initial meniscal lesion (OR 0.3) were statistically significant predictors of meniscal MRI appearance change after 1 year, which was not associated with clinical outcome.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In conservatively treated patients, meniscal deterioration on follow-up MRI 1 year after trauma is predicted by higher age and body weight, initial total ACL rupture, and location in the medial posterior horn. Change in MRI appearance is not associated with clinical outcome.
authors.affiliation: Program for the Assessment of Radiological Technology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Room Ee21-40a, Dr. Molewaterplein 50, 3015 GE, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Edwin H G
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Oei
authors.forename: Ingrid M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Koster
authors.forename: Jan-Hein J
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Hensen
authors.forename: Simone S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Boks
authors.forename: Harry P A
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Wagemakers
authors.forename: Bart W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Koes
authors.forename: Dammis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vroegindeweij
authors.forename: Sita M A
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Bierma-Zeinstra
authors.forename: M G Myriam
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Hunink
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018450:Disease Progression; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D000070600:Tibial Meniscus Injuries; D016896:Treatment Outcome