The offspring of people with a total knee replacement for severe primary knee osteoarthritis have a higher risk of worsening knee pain over 8 years.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether offspring having at least one parent with a total knee replacement for severe primary knee osteoarthritis (OA) have an increased risk of worsening knee pain over 8 years as compared with controls with no family history of knee OA. METHODS: A total of 219 participants (mean age 48 years, range 29-61 years) with 115 offspring and 104 controls participated in this study. Knee pain was respectively assessed using Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) at 2 years and 10 years. T1-weighted or T2-weighted fat saturated MRI of the right knee was performed to assess knee cartilage defects, bone marrow lesions, effusion, meniscal extrusion and tears. RESULTS: Compared with controls, the prevalence of knee pain for offspring was similar at 2 years (56% vs 54%, p=0.764) and higher at 10 years (74% vs 54%, p=0.002). Over 8 years, offspring more frequently had an increase in total knee pain (66% vs 41% ≥1 point increase, p=0.003) and in all subscales apart from walking (all p<0.05). In multivariable analysis, after adjustment for confounders and structural factors, offspring had an elevated risk of worsening total knee pain (OR=2.16, 95% CI 1.14 to 4.12), as well as each subscale except for walking and standing (OR=1.95 to 3.30, all p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Offspring with a family history of knee OA have an increased risk of worsening knee pain, which is independent of structural factors, suggesting that genetic factors may be involved in the pathogenesis of knee pain.

Does cartilage volume measurement or radiographic osteoarthritis at baseline independently predict ten-year cartilage volume loss?

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to examine whether cartilage volume as measured by MRI and radiographic osteoarthritis (OA) at baseline predict cartilage volume loss over ten years independent of each other and other structural co-pathologies. METHODS: 219 participants [mean-age 45(26-61); 57 % female] were studied at baseline and ten years. Approximately half were the adult offspring of subjects who underwent knee replacement for OA and the remainder were randomly selected controls. Joint space narrowing (JSN) and osteophytes were assessed on radiographs and cartilage volume (tibiofemoral), cartilage defects, bone marrow lesions and meniscal tears/extrusion were assessed on MRI. RESULTS: Mean absolute and percentage per annum cartilage volume loss was 1284 mm(3) and 1.91 % respectively in the medial compartment and 1007 mm(3) and 1.38 % respectively in the lateral compartment. Higher baseline tibiofemoral cartilage volume was independently associated with greater absolute cartilage volume loss in both medial (ß(95 % CI) = -300 (-399,-200)) and lateral (ß = -338 (-443,-233)) compartments and percentage per annum loss in the lateral compartment(ß = -0.15 (-0.29, -0.01)). Baseline JSN and osteophytes were associated with cartilage volume loss in the univariable analysis, however these associations did not persist after adjustment for other structural co-pathologies. CONCLUSION: Cross-sectional cartilage volume measurement independently predicts cartilage volume loss over 10 years and can be used to identify fast progressors in clinical trials. Radiographic JSN and osteophytes on the other hand are a reflection of other co-pathologies assessed on MRI and do not independently predict cartilage volume loss over 10 years.

Natural history and clinical significance of meniscal tears over 8 years in a midlife cohort.

BACKGROUND: There is limited longitudinal data available on the natural history of meniscal tears especially in middle-aged adults with a low prevalence of osteoarthritis (OA). The aim of this study was to describe the natural history of meniscal tears over 8 years and the relationship with change in knee pain and structures. METHODS: One hundred ninety eight participants [mean age 47 (28-63); 57% female] were studied at baseline and 8 years later. Approximately half were the adult offspring of subjects who had a knee replacement performed for knee OA and the remainder were randomly selected controls. Meniscal tears/extrusion, cartilage volume/defects, bone marrow lesions (BMLs) and effusion were assessed on MRI. Knee pain was assessed using the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index. RESULTS: 22% of the participants had at least one meniscal tear at any site at baseline. Over 8 years, 16% of the participants had an increase in severity of meniscal tears while none improved. Increase in meniscal tear score was associated with worsening knee pain (ß = +2.81 (+1.40, +4.22)), with offspring having a significantly greater increase in pain severity compared to controls. BMI and presence of osteophytes at baseline, but not knee injury, predicted change in tears, whereas change in meniscal tears was independently associated with cartilage volume loss, change in BMLs and change in meniscal extrusion. CONCLUSION: Change in meniscal tears shares risk factors with knee OA and is independently associated with worsening knee pain and structural damage suggesting that meniscal tears are on the knee OA causal pathway.

International consensus statement on injury surveillance in cricket: a 2016 update.

Cricket was the first sport to publish recommended methods for injury surveillance in 2005. Since then, there have been changes to the nature of both cricket and injury surveillance. Researchers representing the major cricket playing nations met to propose changes to the previous recommendations, with an agreed voting block of 14. It was decided that 10 of 14 votes (70%) were required to add a new definition element and 11 of 14 (80%) were required to amend a previous definition. In addition to the previously agreed 'Match time-loss' injury, definitions of 'General time-loss', 'Medical presentation', 'Player-reported' and 'Imaging-abnormality' injuries are now provided. Further, new injury incidence units of match injuries per 1000 player days, and annual injuries per 100 players per year are recommended. There was a shift towards recommending a greater number of possible definitions, due to differing contexts and foci of cricket research (eg, professional vs amateur; injury surveillance systems vs specific injury category studies). It is recommended that researchers use and report as many of the definitions as possible to assist both comparisons between studies within cricket and with those from other sports.

Association between hip and knee cartilage measured using radiographs and magnetic resonance imaging: the Tasmanian Older Adult Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: Cartilage loss is a key pathological feature of OA and can be assessed indirectly using radiography or directly through MRI. A number of cross-sectional studies have suggested that primary generalized osteoarthritis (PGOA) may be a distinct disease, but despite the high frequency of involvement of the hip and the knee joints in OA, very few studies have looked at the radiographic association between these two joints, and none has done so using MRI. The aim of this study was to examine the association of hip and knee cartilage measured by both radiography and MRI. METHODS: We studied 151 participants from the Tasmanian Older Adult Cohort (TASOAC) study, who were selected randomly from the southern Tasmanian electoral rolls. MRI was used to assess hip and knee cartilage volume and radiography was used to assess joint space narrowing (JSN). Correlation analyses were used to compare cartilage volume measurements and JSN. RESULTS: In adjusted analysis, there was a consistent, positive association between knee and hip cartilage volume that was best for total knee cartilage volume (r = 0.16-0.40, all P < 0.05). In contrast, there was at best a weak correlation, depending on the site, between hip and knee JSN (r = -0.01 to 0.21). CONCLUSION: Hip and knee cartilage volume are more strongly associated than hip and knee JSN, suggesting a commonality of cartilage volume at different anatomic sites. The weaker radiographic association may reflect less measurement error with MRI or the contribution of multiple structures to joint space in the knee.

Impact of today's media on university student's body image in Pakistan: a conservative, developing country's perspective.

BACKGROUND: Living in a world greatly controlled by mass media makes it impossible to escape its pervading influence. As media in Pakistan has been free in the true sense of the word for only a few years, its impact on individuals is yet to be assessed. Our study aims to be the first to look at the effect media has on the body image of university students in a conservative, developing country like Pakistan. Also, we introduced the novel concept of body image dissatisfaction as being both negative and positive. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 7 private universities over a period of two weeks in the city of Karachi, Pakistan's largest and most populous city. Convenience sampling was used to select both male and female undergraduate students aged between 18 and 25 and a sample size of 783 was calculated. RESULTS: Of the 784 final respondents, 376 (48%) were males and 408 (52%) females. The mean age of males was 20.77 (+/- 1.85) years and females was 20.38 (+/- 1.63) years. Out of these, 358 (45.6%) respondents had a positive BID (body image dissatisfaction) score while 426 (54.4%) had a negative BID score. Of the respondents who had positive BID scores, 93 (24.7%) were male and 265 (65.0%) were female. Of the respondents with a negative BID score, 283 (75.3%) were male and 143 (35.0%) were female. The results for BID vs. media exposure were similar in both high and low peer pressure groups. Low media exposure meant positive BID scores and vice versa in both groups (p < 0.0001) showing a statistically significant association between high media exposure and negative body image dissatisfaction. Finally, we looked at the association between gender and image dissatisfaction. Again a statistically significant association was found between positive body image dissatisfaction and female gender and negative body image dissatisfaction and male gender (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Our study confirmed the tendency of the media to have an overall negative effect on individuals' body image. A striking feature of our study, however, was the finding that negative body image dissatisfaction was found to be more prevalent in males as compared to females. Likewise, positive BID scores were more prevalent amongst females.

Hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm; a rare complication of amoebic liver abscess.

Hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm (HAP) is an infrequently encountered entity, usually seen secondary to blunt or penetrating trauma. The clinical presentation is often due to complications such as intrahepatic or intraperitoneal bleeding as a result of rupture of the pseudoaneurysm. Diagnosis is frequently delayed and made by splanchnic angiography. HAP associated with a liver abscess, has very rarely been described in the literature. We report the case of a 50-year-old man with amoebic liver abscess and right hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm which was suspected on high resolution contrast-enhanced abdominal computer tomography (CT). The lesion was confirmed by arteriography and treated prophylactically with transcatheteter embolization.

Do rugby league players under-report concussion symptoms? A cross-sectional study of elite teams based in Australia.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the rate of under-reporting of concussion and its symptoms in elite rugby league players in Australia. METHODS: The study was conducted in the preseason of the 2020 National Rugby League (NRL) competition.A total of 151 male, NRL club contracted rugby league players across three professional clubs participated.The participants completed a voluntary, anonymous survey exploring player demographics, concussion data, under-reporting instances and reasons for under-reporting over the 2018 and 2019 rugby league seasons. RESULTS: 17.2% of surveyed players reported sustaining a likely concussion over the past 2 years and not reporting to medical staff. 22% of NRL first grade players admitted to not reporting at least one concussion during the 2018 and 2019 seasons. The most common reason not to report was the player 'not wanting to be ruled out of the game or training session' (57.7%), followed by 'not wanting to let down the coaches or teammates' (23.1%). 85.4% of surveyed players reported having concussion education by their club in the previous two seasons. CONCLUSIONS: 17.2 % of elite rugby league players in Australia chose not to report likely concussive episodes and concussion-related symptoms during the 2018 and 2019 seasons. Clinicians need to be aware of under-reporting in athletes when assessing players following head injuries. The findings highlight the need for development of validated, objective testing for concussion following sports-associated head injury.

Reliability of a Novel Scoring System for MRI Assessment of Severity in Gluteal Tendinopathy: The Melbourne Hip MRI Score.

BACKGROUND: Gluteal tendinopathy is commonly reported in the literature, but there is a need for a validated magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based scoring system to grade the severity of the tendinopathy. PURPOSE: To use intra- and interobserver reliability to validate a new scoring system, the Melbourne Hip MRI (MHIP) score, for assessing the severity of gluteal tendinopathy. STUDY DESIGN: Cohort study (diagnosis); Level of evidence, 3. METHODS: The MHIP score assesses gluteal tendinopathy according to each 1 of 5 categories: (1) extent of tendon pathology (maximum 5 points); (2) muscle atrophy (maximum 4 points); (3) trochanteric bursitis (maximum 4 points); (4) cortical irregularity (maximum 3 points); and (5) bone marrow edema (maximum 1 point), with an overall range of 0 to 17 (most severe). A total of 41 deidentified MRI scans from 40 patients diagnosed with gluteal tendinopathy (mean baseline age, 57.44 ± 25.26 years; 4 male, 36 female) were read and graded according to MHIP criteria by 2 experienced musculoskeletal radiologists. The radiologists were blinded to previous reports, and the scans were read twice within a 2-month period. Statistical analysis using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to determine intra- and interobserver reliability and mean/range for the MHIP scores. RESULTS: Of a total of 123 readings, the mean MHIP score (±SD) was 3.93 ± 2.24 (range, 0-17 points). The MHIP score demonstrated excellent reliability for determining the severity of gluteal tendinopathy on MRI. The ICC for intra- and interobserver reliability was 0.81 (95% CI, 0.67-0.89) and 0.78 (95% CI, 0.62-0.87), respectively. CONCLUSION: The MHIP score had excellent intra- and interobserver reliability in scoring gluteal tendinopathy. This score allows gluteal tendon pathology to be graded prior to treatment and to be used for standardized comparisons between results in future research undertaking radiological review of gluteal tendinopathy.

Clinical relevance of MRI knee abnormalities in Australian rules football players: a longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND/AIM: The clinical relevance of MRI knee abnormalities in athletes is unclear. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of MRI knee abnormalities in Australian Rules Football (ARF) players and describe their associations with pain, function, past and incident injury and surgery history. METHODS: 75 male players (mean age 21, range 16-30) from the Tasmanian State Football League were examined early in the playing season (baseline). History of knee injury/surgery and knee pain and function were assessed. Players underwent MRI scans of both knees at baseline. Clinical measurements and MRI scans were repeated at the end of the season, and incident knee injuries during the season were recorded. RESULTS: MRI knee abnormalities were common at baseline (67% bone marrow lesions, 16% meniscal tear/extrusion, 43% cartilage defects, 67% effusion synovitis). Meniscal tears/extrusion and synovial fluid volume were positively associated with knee symptoms, but these associations were small in magnitude and did not persist after further accounting for injury history. Players with a history of injury were at a greater risk of having meniscal tears/extrusion, effusion synovitis and greater synovial fluid volume. In contrast, players with a history of surgery were at a greater risk of having cartilage defects and meniscal tears/extrusion. Incident injuries were significantly associated with worsening symptoms, BML development and incident meniscal damage. CONCLUSIONS: MRI abnormalities are common in ARF players, are linked to a previous knee injury and surgery history, as well as incident injury but do not dictate clinical symptomatology.

A success story: identified gaps and the way forward for low HIV prevalence in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh remains a low prevalence country for HIV infection. In this article we attempt to address the reasons for the present success in this country and the challenges lying ahead to minimise the spread of HIV in the future.

Correlation Between Changes in Global Knee Structures Assessed by Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Radiographic Osteoarthritis Changes Over Ten Years in a Midlife Cohort.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to describe the correlation between changes in structural abnormalities assessed on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and change in radiographic osteoarthritis (OA) over 10 years in a midlife cohort. METHODS: A total of 211 participants (mean age 45 years [range 26-61 years], 57% female) were studied at baseline, 2 years, and 10 years. Approximately one-half were adult offspring of subjects who had undergone knee replacement for OA and the remainders were randomly selected controls. Joint space narrowing (JSN) and osteophytes were assessed from radiographs, while cartilage volume, cartilage defects, and meniscal tears/extrusion were assessed from MRI. Spearman ranked correlation analysis was used to describe the correlation between structural changes assessed on MRI and radiographs. Only medial tibiofemoral compartment results are presented, as the lateral compartment had limited change. RESULTS: Over 10 years, change in meniscal tears showed a moderate independent correlation with change in both JSN (ρ = +0.37, P < 0.01) and osteophytes (ρ = +0.31, P < 0.01) in the adjusted analysis. Meniscal extrusion (ρ = +0.22, P < 0.01) and cartilage defects (ρ = +0.16, P < 0.04) showed a slightly weaker independent correlation with JSN in the adjusted analysis, whereas cartilage volume loss showed no significant correlation with either of the 2 radiographic outcomes. CONCLUSION: Change in JSN is correlated with change in meniscal tears and, to a lesser extent, with meniscal extrusion and cartilage defects. In this sample, change in JSN is a composite measure that does not reflect cartilage volume loss, prompting the review of the use of JSN as an outcome measure in chondro-protective drug trials.

History of knee injury and MRI-assessed knee structures in middle- and older-aged adults: a cross-sectional study.

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to describe the associations between history of knee injury and knee structure using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This study included two population-based samples: the Tasmanian Older Adult Cohort (TASOAC) study (n = 430; mean age, 63.0 years; range, 51-79 years; 51 % female) and the Offspring study (n = 372; mean age, 45.0 years; range, 26-61 years; 57.5 % female). In both studies, 1.5 T MRI scans of the right knee were performed to measure bone marrow lesions (BMLs), cartilage volume, tibial bone area, cartilage defects and meniscal pathology. History of knee injury was assessed using a self-administered questionnaire. The association between knee injury and knee structure was determined using multiple linear and log binomial regression models. Nineteen percent of the middle-aged and 12 % of the older adults reported a history of knee injury. In middle-aged adults, BML presence (prevalence ratio (PR) = 1.6 (95 % CI, 1.2; 2.1)), tibial bone area (difference of means (DM) = +86 (+23, +149)) and meniscal extrusion presence (PR = 2.7 (1.1, 6.8)) were significantly higher in those with knee injury. In older adults, cartilage defect presence (PR = 1.3 (1.0, 1.7)), lateral (DM = -265 (-439, -92)) and total tibial (DM = -325 (-600, -51)) cartilage volume, BML presence (PR = 1.4 (1.0, 1.9)) and tibial bone area (DM = +140 (+19, +260)) were significantly associated with knee injury. Meniscal tears showed no significant associations in either cohorts. The association between knee injury and MRI-assessed structural pathology in the knee joint is moderate and appears to be stronger in older adults compared to middle-aged adults.

The clinical significance, natural history and predictors of bone marrow lesion change over eight years.

INTRODUCTION: There is increasing evidence to suggest that bone marrow lesions (BMLs) play a key role in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA). However, there is a lack of long term data. The aim of this study was to describe the natural history of knee BMLs, their association with knee pain and examine predictors of BML change over eight years. METHODS: A total of 198 subjects (109 adult offspring of subjects who had a knee replacement and 89 community-based controls) were studied. Knee pain and BML size were assessed at two and ten year visits. RESULTS: At the two year visit, 64% of participants (n = 127) had 229 BMLs (34% patella, 26% femoral and 40% tibial). Over eight years, 24% (55/229) increased in size, 55% (125/229) remained stable and 21% (49/229) decreased in size or resolved completely. Of the participants without BMLs at baseline, 52% (37/71) developed incident BMLs. CONCLUSION: In this midlife cohort, the proportion of BMLs increasing in size was similar to those decreasing in size with the majority remaining stable. Change in BMLs was predicted by BMI and strenuous activity. An increase in BML size or a new BML resulted in an increase in pain especially in males and those with a family history of OA.