Kaitlyn D’Onofrio

DocwireNews

Adults with torn cartilage or arthritis in their knee are becoming less likely to undergo knee arthroscopy, a new study has found.&nbsp;Study author Dr. David Howard&nbsp;used the&nbsp;Florida State Ambulatory Surgery and State Inpatient Databases&nbsp;for 2000 to 2015 to collect data on&nbsp;surgeries performed on patients&nbsp;aged&nbsp;&ge;&nbsp;18 years in&nbsp;the state. Between 2002 and 2015, 868,482 knee arthroscopies were performed, 81.1% of which were meniscectomies (n = 704,563). The number of knee arthroscopies went from 449 per 100,000 population aged&nbsp;&ge;&nbsp;18 years&nbsp;in 2002 to 345 per 100,000 in 2015 (change, 23%;&nbsp;P&nbsp;&lt; .001). The meniscectomy rate also went down from 349 in 2002 to 291 in 2015 (change, 17%;&nbsp;P&nbsp;= .002). The adjusted rate of knee arthroplasties increased during the study period, from 170 to 244 (change, 44%;&nbsp;P&nbsp;&lt; .001).&nbsp;<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
News in brief: Declining rates of knee <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/arthroscopy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#arthroscopy</a> in a US population, but it remains a common procedure. Read more in the <a href="https://twitter.com/JAMAInternalMed?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JAMAInternalMed</a> research letter by David Howard (<a href="https://twitter.com/EmoryUniversity?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EmoryUniversity</a>) <a href="https://t.co/nw1TGLSiaN">https://t.co/nw1TGLSiaN</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/osteoarthritis?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#osteoarthritis</a>
&mdash; medwireNews (@medwireNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/medwireNews/status/1045313763514220545?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 27, 2018</a>
</blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>The most pronounced decline was after 2008, at which time the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa0708333">New England Journal of Medicine</a>&nbsp;published a study that found no additional benefit&nbsp;to physical and medical therapy&nbsp;for&nbsp;knee&nbsp;osteoarthritis patients following&nbsp;arthroscopic surgery. The increase in arthroplasties primarily took place prior to the decline in arthroscopies, Howard noted in the current study.&nbsp;<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
A conversation with Dr. David Howard of <a href="https://twitter.com/EmoryUniversity?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EmoryUniversity</a> regarding his study and findings on why the number of knee arthroscopic procedures have declined: <a href="https://t.co/bwVSc24PET">https://t.co/bwVSc24PET</a> via <a href="https://twitter.com/medresearchnews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@medresearchnews</a> <a href="https://t.co/CicNUQAJpE">pic.twitter.com/CicNUQAJpE</a>
&mdash; OREF (@OREFtoday) <a href="https://twitter.com/OREFtoday/status/1045013898179629056?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 26, 2018</a>
</blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>The declines took place even though osteoarthritis rates climbed among adults nationwide from 6.6% in 1999 to 14.3% in 2014, Howard wrote.&nbsp;&ldquo;There was some evidence that use of arthroscopy was declining, but this study shows that the decline was large and has been sustained,&rdquo; Howard&nbsp;told Reuters by email. &ldquo;I think patients can be reassured that doctors reacted to the evidence.&rdquo;&nbsp;<a href="https://proddocwire.wpengine.com/docwire-pick/knee-osteoarthritis-obesity/">Read about the link between knee osteoarthritis and obesity here.</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://proddocwire.wpengine.com/rheumatology/losing-weight-with-knee-osteoarthritis-more-is-better/">Losing Weight with Knee Osteoarthritis: More is Better</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://proddocwire.wpengine.com/rheumatology/bisphosphonates-a-therapeutic-option-for-knee-osteoarthritis/">Bisphosphonates: a therapeutic option for knee osteoarthritis?</a>Sources:&nbsp;<a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/article-abstract/2702286">JAMA</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-knees-surgery/fewer-u-s-adults-getting-unnecessary-knee-surgery-idUSKCN1M421F">Reuters</a>

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Despite Increase in Osteoarthritis, Knee Arthroscopy on the Decline in Adults

Osteoarthritis

Adults with torn cartilage or arthritis in their knee are becoming less likely to undergo knee arthroscopy, a new study has found.  ...

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