title: There is no such thing like a single ACL injury: Profiles of ACL-injured patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Current ACL registries rarely include non-operatively treated patients thus delivering an incomplete picture of the ACL-injured population. The aim of this study was to get an image of the population and treatment decision of an intrahospital registry. Our hypotheses were that patient-specific subtypes can be identified and that the percentage of operated patients differs between them.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hundred and forty-six operated and non-operated patients were included from March 2011 to December 2013. Standardized questionnaires allowed for data collection on gender, age, sports practice and previous ACL injuries. Chi-square tests allowed to compare these parameters between genders and age groups. A cluster analysis was computed to determine profiles of patients with similar characteristics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three age groups were considered (I: ≤20; II: 21-35; III: ≥36 years). For males, the highest frequency of injuries was noted in group II with a greater proportion of injuries compared to females. In group III, more females were injured than males. Before injury, 54% patients were involved in competitive sports. Males were more likely to be injured in pivoting/contact sports before 35 and females during recreational skiing after 35. Twenty-one percent of the patients had had a previous ACL injury. The percentage of surgical treatment was superior to 80% in patients under 35 years involved in competitive sports, of 60-80% for those not involved in competitive sports and inferior to 60% for patients above 35 years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Systematic data collection allowed to identify specific subtypes of ACL-injured patient according to gender, age, previous ACL injury and preinjury level of practice. The decision-making process for or against ACL reconstructions at time of presentation depended on these characteristics. Consideration of these parameters will serve as a basis for an individualized treatment approach and a better understanding of patients at risk for ACL injuries.
  
  
  METHODS
  III.
authors.affiliation: Sports Clinic, clinique d'Eich, Academic Teaching Hospital of the Saarland University Medical Centre, centre hospitalier de Luxembourg, 76, rue d'Eich, 1460 Luxembourg, Luxembourg; Sports Medicine Research Laboratory, Luxembourg Institute of Health, 76, rue d'Eich, 1460 Luxembourg, Luxembourg; Cartilage Net of the Greater Region Saar-Lor-Lux, Luxembourg, Luxembourg. Electronic address: rseil@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Seil
authors.affiliation: Sports Medicine Research Laboratory, Luxembourg Institute of Health, 76, rue d'Eich, 1460 Luxembourg, Luxembourg; Cartilage Net of the Greater Region Saar-Lor-Lux, Luxembourg, Luxembourg.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mouton
authors.affiliation: Sports Medicine Research Laboratory, Luxembourg Institute of Health, 76, rue d'Eich, 1460 Luxembourg, Luxembourg; Cartilage Net of the Greater Region Saar-Lor-Lux, Luxembourg, Luxembourg.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lion
authors.affiliation: Sports Clinic, clinique d'Eich, Academic Teaching Hospital of the Saarland University Medical Centre, centre hospitalier de Luxembourg, 76, rue d'Eich, 1460 Luxembourg, Luxembourg.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nührenbörger
authors.affiliation: Sports Clinic, clinique d'Eich, Academic Teaching Hospital of the Saarland University Medical Centre, centre hospitalier de Luxembourg, 76, rue d'Eich, 1460 Luxembourg, Luxembourg; Sports Medicine Research Laboratory, Luxembourg Institute of Health, 76, rue d'Eich, 1460 Luxembourg, Luxembourg; Cartilage Net of the Greater Region Saar-Lor-Lux, Luxembourg, Luxembourg.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pape
authors.affiliation: Sports Medicine Research Laboratory, Luxembourg Institute of Health, 76, rue d'Eich, 1460 Luxembourg, Luxembourg; Cartilage Net of the Greater Region Saar-Lor-Lux, Luxembourg, Luxembourg.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Theisen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D016118:Anterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000601:surgery; D000070598:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries; D059549:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology; D000066491:Clinical Decision-Making; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012042:Registries; D017678:Sex Distribution; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Anterior cruciate ligament; Epidemiology; Registry; Surgery