Knee arthroscopy has limited effects on relieving local symptoms of knee osteoarthritis: an analysis of data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative

Background Knee arthroscopy’s efficacy in symptom improvement for knee osteoarthritis remains debated. In this study, we analyzed a multicenter database to investigate local symptom improvement. Methods We extracted and analyzed the data of 163 patients from the Osteoarthritis Initiative cohort who underwent unilateral knee arthroscopy (UKA) and were followed up for at least 24 months. UKA patients were matched to non-UKA patients ( n = 163) according to sex, age, abdominal circumference, and Kellgren-Lawrence grade. The verified KOOS questionnaires (knee catching, locking, grinding, or clicking) and common local symptoms (frequent knee pain, aching, or stiffness) were set as outcomes. Furthermore, we built a binary logistic regression model to examine the relationship between UKA and local symptom improvement and new-onset symptoms, adjusting for conservative therapeutic covariables (injection of steroids or transparent acid into the knee joint, oral chondroitin sulfate, amino glucose, or analgesics). Result Analysis showed that the UKA and non-UKA groups showed no obvious difference in the three knee symptoms, but the probability of new-onset grinding or clicking, and frequent knee pain, aching, or stiffness symptoms in the UKA group were respectively 5.82 and 5.65-fold higher than that in the non-UKA group. After analyzing conservative treatment data using a multiple imputation method, the results were consistent with previous regression analyses. Conclusion Compared to the non-UKA group, the UKA group showed no noticeable differences in the improvement of the three knee symptoms and showed an increased the probability of new-onset grinding or clicking and frequent knee pain, aching, or stiffness symptoms. Key Points • Knee arthroscopy may increase the probability of new-onset grinding or clicking and frequent knee pain, aching, or stiffness symptoms. • We found no difference in the improvement of local knee symptoms (knee catching, locking, grinding, clicking or frequent pain, aching, or stiffness) improvement between the two groups with or without knee arthroscopy.