title: Population-based study of the relationship between medial meniscus radial displacement, determined by use of ultrasound screening, and knee pain.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this population-based study was to clarify the incidence of knee pain by use of ultrasound (US).
  
  
  METHODS
  Medical check-ups were conducted for residents of a mountain village in Japan. The subjects were 149 males and 252 females (802 knees) with a mean age of 63.5 ± 12.5 years. US was used to evaluate the medial joint space of both knees, with and without weight-bearing. For each patient, medial radial displacement of the medial meniscus (MRD) and number of osteophytes were evaluated. A questionnaire was used to determine whether the subjects were currently experiencing knee pain while walking, climbing stairs, or resting that had lasted more than one month. A visual analog scale was used to assess knee pain. The subjects were divided into two groups, those with knee pain (P group) and those without knee pain (non-P group), on the basis of whether a visual analog scale (VAS) was less than or more than 20 mm during walking, climbing stairs, or resting. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify the factors associated with knee pain.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significantly different weight-bearing MRD (WMRD), osteophytes, and pain while walking, climbing stairs, or resting (p < 0.01) were found between the two groups. Logistic regression analysis showed that WMRD was significantly associated with knee pain during walking or while climbing stairs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found that WMRD was significantly associated with knee pain while walking or climbing stairs, which are weight-bearing activities. On the basis of the findings of this study, we believe US is a useful tool for evaluating the factors associated with knee pain in a population-based study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Level III.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Gunma, Maebashi, Japan, yanashin87@yahoo.co.jp.
authors.forename: Shinya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yanagisawa
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ohsawa
authors.forename: Kenichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: Tsutomu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Tsuyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tajika
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shitara
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takagishi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018771:Arthralgia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D004204:Joint Dislocations / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008592:Menisci, Tibial / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008875:Middle Aged; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012372:ROC Curve; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014463:Ultrasonography