Osteoarthritis in knees of aged persons. Relationship between roentgenographic and clinical manifestations
G. E. Gresham and U. K. Rathey
One hundred five (70%) of the knee joints of 75 elderly people showed
roentgenographic changes of osteoarthritis (OA); occurrence rates for each
of ten clinical manifestations ranged from 7% to 76%. Clinical
manifestations were more common in knees with OA by x-ray film than in
those without. Crepitus, decreased range of motion, pain, bony enlargement,
and instability were simultaneously common in the roentgenographically
abnormal knees and significantly less frequent in normal knees. Overall
functional disability was verified in 22% of the knees with changes on
x-ray film. The findings suggest a more positive and specific pattern of
correlation between clinical and roentgenographic findings than has
generally been believed. Nevertheless, the frequency of dissociation
confirms the importance of making therapeutic decisions according to each
patient's individual situation.
