TABLE 4.
Methodology and description of the 11 studies investigating validity and clinical accuracy of McMurray's test for meniscal pathology.
| Study | No. of Subjects | Patient Population | Description of McMurray's Test | Objective signs of McMurray's Test | No. of Testers | Blinding Test/Arthroscopy | Reference Standard |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Akseki et al3 | 150 | Consecutive patients. Symptoms related to an intra-articular knee pathology. Acute patients (< 6 weeks) excluded. | Described a modified version (Ege's test) but no description of McMurray's. | Pain and/or click | n/m | n/m | Arthroscopy |
| Anderson & Lipscomb5 | 100 | Consecutive patients suspected of having meniscal tears presenting for arthroscopy: acute and chronic (ligament injuries excluded). | Described a modified version (Medial-Lateral Grind test) but no description of McMurray's. | n/m | 1 | n/m | Arthroscopy |
| Boeree & Ackroyd19 | 203 | Referred from GP/A&E with suspected cruciate ligament or meniscal pathology. | n/m | n/m | 2 (multiple not clear) | n/m | MRI |
| Corea et al4 | 93 | Consecutive patients clinically diagnosed as having torn menisci (based on symptoms of pain, locking, painful clicks, recurrent effusions, giving way or signs of extension block, wasting, or instability) Patients with evidence of fracture or arthritis, a previous history of surgery, or with an acute locked knee or haemarthrosis were excluded. | Original description | Thud or click | 1 | n/m | Arthroscopy/Arthrotomy |
| Evans et al23 | 104 | Consecutive patients awaiting elective arthroscopy for suspected meniscal or other conditions based on history and physical examination. No mention acute/chronic. | Original description | Thud/sensation and/or pain | 2 | n/m | Arthroscopy |
| Fowler & Lubliner22 | 161 | Consecutive patients with knee pain of at least one year's duration that warranted arthroscopic investigation. | Original description | Click/thud | 2 | n/m | Arthroscopy |
| Karachalios et al21 | 213 | Patients suspected of having a meniscal tear on the basis of history and mechanism of injury excluding those with multiple injuries, history of knee surgery, early clinical and radiographic signs of osteoarthritis, articular cartilage injuries, neurological and musculoskeletal degenerative disorders, disorders of the synovium, acute injuries (less than 4 weeks post-trauma), and any abnormal findings on conventional radiographs. | Modified McMurray's to include valgus/varus stress. Also described a weight-bearing modification of McMurray's (Thessaly test) | n/m for McMurray's, but joint line discomfort and possibly a sensation of locking or catching for Thessaly test | 4 | Yes | MRI and arthroscopy |
| Kurosaka et al6 | 156 | Patients who underwent arthroscopy to assess suspected meniscal or meniscal together with ACL injuries. All had persistent symptoms at least 8 weeks post-injury. Acute injuries excluded. | Original description | Click/thud | 2 | No blinding | Arthroscopy |
| Manzotti et al20 | 130 | Patients diagnosed with meniscal lesions (based on symptoms including pain, recurrent edema, giving way, joint clicks, or block to movement) having arthroscopic surgery. Excluding any with past history of trauma and any with associated fractures, serious arthrosis, previous history of knee surgery or discoid meniscus identified arthroscopically | Original description | Painful (often) click felt by examiner | 4 | n/m | Arthroscopy |
| Noble & Erat25 | 200 | Consecutive patients scheduled for menisectomy; acute and chronic. | n/m | n/m | 1 | n/m | Arthroscopy |
| Sae-Jung et al24 | 68 | Patients identified as needing arthroscopy excluding those with intra-articular fracture, neurological or degenerative disorders. | Original description. Also described a modified version (the KKU compression-rotation test) | Pain or a clicking sound | n/m | n/m | Arthroscopy |
n/m = not mentioned