Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Improves Functional Scores and QoL in Patients over 50 Years of Age: study

Batuhan Cokyas et al conducted a study to evaluate quality of life changes and functional outcomes of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in patients older than 50 years of age with anterior cruciate ligament injury.

The article has been published in “Arthroscopy, Sports Medicine, and Rehabilitation” journal.

Patients who were older than 50 years of age and had undergone anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with single-bundle hamstring tendon auto graft surgery were identified. Preoperative Tegner activity scores, Lysholm knee scores, International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) 2000 scores, and Short-Form 36 scores were compared with results that were documented 1 year after surgery.

Key findings of the study were:

• A total of 35 patients were included (20 male/15 female; mean age 52 years [range 50-59 years]).

• Patients’ preoperative mean Tegner score was 1.48.

• Mean Tegner score at 1-year follow-up was 3.82.

• Preoperative mean Lysholm score was 45.8. Postoperative mean Lysholm score was 88.

• Preoperative mean IKDC 2000 score was 33. Postoperative mean IKDC 2000 score was 82.

• All of these changes were statistically significant (P < .05).

• All of the parameter changes at Short Form-36 except for role limitations due to emotional problems were statistically significant.

The authors concluded that – “Improved functional knee scores, quality of life, and psychological status were achieved at anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in patients older than 50 years of age.”

The authors commented – “The short postoperative follow-up period, small sample size, and lack of comparison with control groups are among the shortcomings of our study. The fact that we could not show to what extent the concomitant cartilage lesions and meniscal pathologies affected the results is another limitation. Finally, we did not note the level at which the patients returned to sports and in which sports they were engaged.”

Level of Evidence: Level IV, therapeutic case series.

Further reading:

Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Improves Functional Scores and Quality of Life in Patients Older Than 50 Years of Age Batuhan Çokyas et al Arthroscopy, Sports Medicine, and Rehabilitation, Vol 5, No 6 (December), 2023: 100806 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asmr.2023.100806