Soft Tissue Pathology Detected By Ultrasound Seem To Be Risk Factors for Painful Flare in Osteoarthritic Knee

To our knowledge, the importance of US findings, pain (brief pain inventory (BPI)) and disability in osteoarthritic knee (OA) pain patients remain uncertain.

The objectives are to evaluate the correlation of US findings, pain (brief pain inventory (BPI)) and disability in OA pain patients.

Eighty - three patients with OA knee were divided into two groups. The first group was OA as symptomatic knee group and the second group was an asymptomatic control group. The maximum sagittal height of synovial fluid in 12 scans at 0, 30, 60 and 90 degrees flexion knee in 3 major recesses were measured.

There were a significant positive correlation between BPI Pain severity index, or BPI function interference index and a maximum height of effusion at 30-degree flexion angle in a supra-patellar recess in painful symptomatic knees. But, there was a significant negative correlation between BPI Pain severity index, and BPI function interference index and cartilage thickness in painful symptomatic knees.

The increase of maximum height of synovial effusion at different angles of knee and decrease of cartilage thickness associated with pain and disability in OA pain patients and are being predictors for pain severity and disability in OA pain patients.