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Published on: April 30, 2014
The familial predisposition toward tearing the anterior cruciate ligament: a case control study
R Kevin Flynn1, Cheryl L Pedersen, Trevor B Birmingham
1Fowler Kennedy Sport Medicine Clinic, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.
Purpose:
A study of 171 surgical cases and 171 matched controls was conducted to investigate whether a familial predisposition toward tearing the anterior cruciate ligament of the knee exists.
Study Design:
Case control study; Level of evidence, 3.
Methods:
Patients who were diagnosed with an anterior cruciate ligament tear were matched by age (within 5 years), gender, and primary sport to subjects without an anterior cruciate ligament tear. All 342 subjects completed a questionnaire detailing their family history of anterior cruciate ligament tears.
Results:
When controlling for subject age and number of relatives, participants with an anterior cruciate ligament tear were twice as likely to have a relative (first, second, or third degree) with an anterior cruciate ligament tear compared to participants without an anterior cruciate ligament tear (adjusted odds ratio = 2.00; 95% confidence interval, 1.19-3.33). When the analysis was limited to include only first-degree relatives, participants with an anterior cruciate ligament tear were slightly greater than twice as likely to have a first-degree relative with an anterior cruciate ligament tear compared to participants without an anterior cruciate ligament tear (adjusted odds ratio = 2.24; 95% confidence interval, 1.24-4.00).
Conclusions:
Findings are consistent with a familial predisposition toward tearing the anterior cruciate ligament.
Clinical Relevance:
Future research should concentrate on identifying the potentially modifiable risk factors that may be passed through families and developing strategies for the prevention of anterior cruciate ligament injuries.
