title: Association between the severity of femoral condylar cartilage erosion related to knee osteoarthritis by ultrasonographic evaluation and the clinical symptoms and functions.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the association between the severity of femoral condylar cartilage erosion resulting from knee osteoarthritis (OA) by an ultrasonographic grading system and the clinical symptoms and functions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  A tertiary center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants (N=101) with and without subjective complaints of knee discomfort were consecutively enrolled. Patients who had ever received knee arthroplasty, who had inflammatory arthritis, and whose knee flexion range of motion was <90° were excluded. A total of 194 knees were evaluated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Not applicable.
  
  
  METHODS
  A semiquantitative ultrasonographic grading system was used to evaluate the severity of femoral condylar cartilage erosion. The clinical symptoms and functions were evaluated with the visual analog scale (VAS), Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), and Lequesne index. The association of the VAS/WOMAC/Lequesne index with the ultrasonographic grading was assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Positive linear associations were found between the ultrasonographic grading and the following: the VAS and the total scores and pain subscales of both the Lequesne index and WOMAC. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed grade-dependent association between VAS and ultrasonographic grading after adjusting for age, sex, and body mass index. The WOMAC and Lequesne index scores were associated with the ultrasonographic grading in more severe degrees, particularly in the pain subscales.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This semiquantitative ultrasonographic grading system may well reflect the clinical symptoms and functions related to knee OA as evaluated by the VAS, WOMAC, and Lequesne index. This method provides a more comprehensive description and measurement of knee OA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Kaohsiung Municipal Ta-Tung Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yi-Jen
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Kaohsiung Municipal Ta-Tung Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chia-Hsin
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Medicine and Preventive Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chao-Ling
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Mao-Hsiung
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Tien-Wen
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Kaohsiung Municipal Hsiao-Kang Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Electronic address: cathyleetw@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Chia-Ling
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002356:Cartilage / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005270:Femur Head / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers; D014463:Ultrasonography
keywords: Cartilage; Osteoarthritis, knee; Rehabilitation; Ultrasonography