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. 2026 Jan 16;18(1):e101685. doi: 10.7759/cureus.101685

Table 3. Analysis of patient- and surgery-related factors associated with postoperative outcomes.

The p-value is presented with the corresponding test statistic in parentheses (t-value for Student’s t-test; F-value for ANOVA)

Differences between two independent groups (sex, side, meniscus, smoking, full weight-bearing, pre-op Tegner) were analyzed using the Student’s t-test. Comparisons involving more than two groups (age, time to surgery, topography, tear type, pre-op IKDC) were analyzed using one-way ANOVA.

Different superscript letters (a, b, c) within the same column indicate a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) between specific subgroups.

Factor N (%) Mean post-op IKDC ± SD p-value (Stat) Mean post-op Tegner ± SD p-value (Stat)
Age
<20 years 5 (9.4%) 78.4 ± 8.5 0.659 (F = 0.42) 6.55 ± 0.8ᵃ 0.020 (F = 4.22)
20-30 years 15 (28.3%) 76.4 ± 10.2 6.45 ± 1.2ᵇ
>30 years 33 (62.3%) 75.85 ± 11.4 6.44 ± 1.6ᵇ
Sex
Male 47 (88.7%) 76.3 ± 10.8 0.804 (t = 0.25) 6.46 ± 1.7 0.881 (t = 0.15)
Female 6 (11.3%) 75.4 ± 12.1 6.35 ± 1.5
Side
Right 31 (58.5%) 77.1 ± 11.0 0.457 (t = 0.75) 6.46 ± 1.8 0.858 (t = 0.18)
Left 22 (41.5%) 74.9 ± 10.5 6.35 ± 1.6
Time to surgery
<3 months 23 (43.4%) 78.1 ± 9.9 0.176 (F = 1.80) 7.15 ± 1.4 ᵃ 0.029 (F = 3.85)
3-6 months 20 (37.7%) 76.0 ± 11.2 6.35 ± 1.7 ᵇ
>6 months 10 (18.9%) 73.8 ± 12.5 5.40 ± 1.9 ᶜ
Meniscus
Lateral 18 (34.0%) 74.48 ± 11.8 0.416 (t = 0.82) 6.35 ± 1.8 0.781 (t = 0.28)
Medial 35 (66.0%) 76.91 ± 10.4 6.50 ± 1.7
Smoking  
Yes 10 (18.9%) 68.0 ± 12.4 0.020 (t = 2.38) 5.75 ± 1.8 0.260 (t = 1.14)
No 43 (81.1%) 78.1 ± 11.2 6.61 ± 2.1
Topography (rim)
Zone 1 (red-red) 8 (15.1%) 77.75 ± 9.8 0.887 (F = 0.12) 6.83 ± 1.5 0.640 (F = 0.45)
Zone 2 (red-white) 37 (69.8%) 75.97 ± 10.5 6.44 ± 2.0
Zone 3 (white-white) 8 (15.1%) 75.63 ± 11.1 6.14 ± 1.9
Tear type
Vertical longitudinal (incl. flap) 33 (62.3%) 81.0 ± 9.5ᵃ 0.040 (F=2.98) 6.84 ± 1.4ᵃ 0.010 (F = 4.15)
Horizontal (incl. flap) 10 (18.9%) 70.0 ± 12.1ᵇ 6.05 ± 1.8ᵇ
Radial 5 (9.4%) 67.2 ± 13.5ᵇ 5.60 ± 2.1ᵇᶜ
Complex 5 (9.4%) 63.4 ± 14.0 ᶜ 5.07 ± 2.2 ᶜ
Full weight-bearing
<30 days 35 (66.0%) 76.63 ± 10.1 0.519 (t = 0.65) 7.15 ± 1.6 0.984 (t = 0.02)
>30 days 18 (34.0%) 74.72 ± 10.9 7.14 ± 1.9
Pre-op Tegner
≤5 14 (26.4%) 74.85 ± 11.5 0.145 (t=1.48) 6.07 ± 2.2 0.031 (t=2.21)
>5 39 (73.6%) 79.79 ± 9.8   7.49 ± 1.5  
Pre-op IKDC
<40 4 (7.5%) 70.0 ± 13.2ᵇ 0.015 (F = 4.56) 5.65 ± 2.4ᵇ 0.021 (F = 4.18)
40-49 30 (56.6%) 76.0 ± 10.4ᵃ 6.40 ± 1.7ᵃ
50-59 19 (35.8%) 78.0 ± 8.9ᵃ 6.75 ± 1.5ᵃ