Table 1.
Patient characteristics at baseline.
| Characteristics | MRI group (n = 279) | Orthopaedic group (n = 274) | Total (n = 553) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sex: male, n (%) | 185/279 (66.3) | 166/274 (60.6) | 351/553 (63.5) |
| Ethnicity: white, n (%) | 269/272 (98.9) | 266/270 (98.5) | 535/542 (98.7) |
| Employed: yes, n (%) | 231/256 (90.2) | 221/253 (87.4) | 452/509 (88.8) |
| Age, years | |||
| n | 279 | 274 | 553 |
| Mean (SD) | 40.2 (10.1) | 39.2 (10.5) | 39.7 (10.3) |
| Diagnostic categorya | |||
| Meniscal injury, n (%) | 224 (80.3) | 210 (76.6) | 434 (78.5) |
| Ligamentous injury, n (%) | 87 (31.2) | 82 (29.9) | 169 (30.6) |
| Other diagnosis, n (%) | 5 (1.8) | 9 (3.3) | 14 (2.5) |
| KQoL-26 (0–100, 100 = best health) | |||
| Physical functioning | |||
| n | 276 | 274 | 550 |
| Mean (SD) | 59.6 (19.1) | 58.5(18.9) | 59.1(19.0) |
| Activity limitations | |||
| n | 276 | 273 | 549 |
| Mean (SD) | 52.1 (25.6) | 49.7 (24.8) | 50.9 (25.2) |
| Emotional functioning | |||
| n | 277 | 274 | 551 |
| Mean (SD) | 43.3 (21.7) | 40.4 (22.7) | 41.9 (22.2) |
| SF-36 (0–100, 100 = best health)b | |||
| Physical functioning | |||
| n | 275 | 274 | 549 |
| Mean (SD) | 55.4 (23.7) | 54.5 (23.9) | 54.9 (23.8) |
| Social functioning | |||
| n | 273 | 274 | 547 |
| Mean (SD) | 66.5 (26.3) | 54.46 (23.9) | 64.94 (26.3) |
| Role physical | |||
| n | 275 | 271 | 546 |
| Mean (SD) | 52.6 (29.5) | 63.33 (26.3) | 51.84 (29.7) |
| Role mental functioning | |||
| n | 275 | 272 | 547 |
| Mean (SD) | 75.61 (28.5) | 74.20 (26.3) | 74.91 (27.4) |
| Mental health | |||
| n | 277 | 274 | 551 |
| Mean (SD) | 68.82 (18.2) | 67.63 (19.8) | 68.23 (19.0) |
| Vitality | |||
| n | 277 | 274 | 551 |
| Mean (SD) | 51.68 (19.7) | 48.69 (20.4) | 50.19 (20.1) |
| Pain | |||
| n | 270 | 270 | 540 |
| Mean (SD) | 45.50 (23.6) | 43.55 (22.1) | 44.52 (22.9) |
| General health | |||
| n | 275 | 273 | 548 |
| Mean (SD) | 71.02 (19.3) | 69.36 (19.7) | 70.19 (19.5) |
| EQ-5D (0–1, 1 = best health) | |||
| n | 276 | 272 | 548 |
| Mean (SD) | 0.6 (0.3) | 0.6 (0.2) | 0.6 (0.3) |
| Days off work in last 4 weeks due to knee problem | |||
| n | 163 | 170 | 333 |
| Median (interquartile range) | 1 (0–6) | 0 (0–4.25) | 0 (0–5) |
| Days prevented from doing normal activities in last 4 weeks | |||
| n | 230 | 211 | 441 |
| Median (interquartile range) | 7.5 (2–15.3) | 8 (2–20) | 8 (2–16) |
a
Other diagnosis at trial entry: loose body, patella femoral problem, osteoarthritis, Baker's cyst, patellar ligament injury, worn meniscus.
b
The SF-36 physical and mental health summary scales use norm-based scoring; 50 (SD = 10) is the general US population mean. MRI = magnetic resonance imaging. KQoL-26 = Knee Quality of Life 26-item Questionnaire. SF-36 = Short Form 36-item health survey questionnaire.