title: The effects of previous meniscus and anterior cruciate ligament injuries in patients with total knee arthroplasty.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients undergoing total knee replacements constitute a suitable population to study the natural history of traumatic joint injuries.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied all the patients who received a TKA (Total knee arthroplasty) over the course of one year, in five different centers. The study included 474 patients who had undergone primary TKA for knee OA over a one-year period. In each patient, we analyzed age, sex, side of operation, weight, height and body mass index (BMI, kg/m2). BMI were stratified into four groups according to the WHO classification: normal (<25), overweight (>25 and <30), obese (>30 and <40), and morbidly obese (>40).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the TKA group, 74% of the patients were women, while in the THA group the percentage of men and women was similar. No differences were found in the sides operated on. Differences between both groups were found in knee alignment. Women were operated on more frequently for TKA, as there was a higher incidence of OA of the knee joints in women aged over 65.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients who required a total knee arthroplasty are likely to have previously undergone surgery or trauma to the knee joints.
authors.affiliation: Research Unit FREMAP Hospital, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Forriol
authors.forename: Umile Giuseppe
authors.initials: UG
authors.lastname: Longo
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hernández-Vaquero
authors.forename: Juan Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Monllau
authors.forename: Ferran
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Montserrat
authors.forename: Juan Ramon
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Valentí
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vaquero
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Maffulli
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Denaro
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016118:Anterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000601:surgery*; D000070598:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries; D019645:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008592:Menisci, Tibial / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000601:surgery; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D000070600:Tibial Meniscus Injuries