title: Vibratory perception threshold in young and middle-aged patients at high risk of knee osteoarthritis compared to controls.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Vibratory perception threshold (VPT) is impaired in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). It is, however, not known if sensory deficits precede or follow as a consequence of OA. The aim of this study was to investigate VPT in 2 independent groups of patients with high risk of future OA (young anterior cruciate ligament [ACL]-injured patients and middle-aged meniscectomized patients) and compare them to age-matched controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  VPT was assessed at the medial malleolus (MM) and medial femoral condyle (MFC) in 2 independent groups of patients and matched controls: ACL-injured patients (n = 39, mean ± SD age 24.0 ± 5.2 years, mean ± SD BMI 24.0 ± 2.9 kg/m(2) , mean ± SD time since injury 21.9 ± 21.6 months) and controls (n = 28, mean ± SD age 25.6 ± 4.4 years, mean ± SD BMI 23.6 ± 2.2 kg/m(2) ), and meniscectomized patients (n = 22, mean ± SD age 49.6 ± 4.8 years, mean ± SD BMI 24.7 ± 2.7 kg/m(2) , mean ± SD time since surgery 49.6 ± 5.0 months) and controls (n = 25, mean ± SD age 49.4 ± 5.2 years, mean ± SD BMI 25.2 ± 4.9 kg/m(2) ).
  
  
  RESULTS
  ACL-injured patients had a better VPT than controls at the MM (P = 0.030), which persisted after adjusting for age and sex (P = 0.034). At the MFC, there was a similar trend in favor of ACL injured patients (unadjusted P = 0.093, adjusted P = 0.122). No differences were seen in VPT at the MM between meniscectomized patients and controls, whereas there was a tendency for better VPT in meniscectomized patients at the MFC (unadjusted P = 0.085, adjusted P = 0.092).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Impaired vibratory sensation could not be confirmed in 2 independent groups of patients compared to age-matched controls, suggesting that impaired vibratory sense is not present in knee-injured patients at high risk or in the very early phase of knee OA.
authors: University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark. jthorlund@health.sdu.dk
authors: Jonas Bloch
authors: JB
authors: Thorlund
authors: Najia
authors: N
authors: Shakoor
authors: Eva
authors: E
authors: Ageberg
authors: Louise Fleng
authors: LF
authors: Sandal
authors: Joel A
authors: JA
authors: Block
authors: Ewa M
authors: EM
authors: Roos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000070598:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003718:Denmark; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008592:Menisci, Tibial / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects*; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010465:Perception; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012678:Sensation Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012684:Sensory Thresholds; D013548:Sweden; D013708:Tendon Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014732:Vibration; D055815:Young Adult