Statistical evaluation of the diagnostic criteria for meniscal tears

SummaryThe accuracy of diagnosis was tested in a prospective study of 145 patients who were arthroscoped because a meniscal tear was suspected clinically. Multiple variate analysis was used to evaluate 68 different clinical parameters. The clinical accuracy was 61% as a tear was demonstrated in 88 knees; 73 of these tears were associated with other intraarticular abnormalities. Thirteen knees were entirely normal at arthroscopy. It was possible to predict a meniscal tear in 8 out of 10 patients.RésuméUne enquête prospective portant sur 145 malades chez qui a été pratiquée une arthroscopie en raison d'une suspicion clinique de lésion méniscale a permis d'étudier la justesse du diagnostic. On a eu recours à une analyse statistique multivariée pour évaluer 68 paramètres cliniques différents. L'exactitude clinique était de 61% puisqu'une déchirure du ménisque a été découverte dans 88 genoux; 78 d'entre elles s'accompagnaient d'une autre lésion intra-articulaire. Treize genoux étaient strictement normaux à l'arthroscopie. Il apparaît donc que la prédiction d'une lésion méniscale est possible dans 8 cas sur 10.

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