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Relationship between neovascularization and clinical severity in A chilles tendinopathy in 556 paired measurements
Author(s) -
De Jonge S.,
Warnaars J. L. F.,
De Vos R. J.,
Weir A.,
Schie H. T. M.,
BiermaZeinstra S. M. A.,
Verhaar J. A. N.,
Tol J. L.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of medicine and science in sports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.575
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1600-0838
pISSN - 0905-7188
DOI - 10.1111/sms.12072
Subject(s) - neovascularization , medicine , tendinopathy , surgery , angiogenesis , tendon
Neovascularization is frequently observed in tendinopathy. Previous studies have focused on the role of neovascularization in A chilles tendinopathy, but have been conducted in small series. It is still unclear whether the degree of neovascularization is related to severity of symptoms. The purpose was to study the relationship between ultrasonographic neovascularization and clinical severity in patients with A chilles tendinopathy. In this prospective cohort study, data on 127 patients (141 tendons) were assembled from databases of three clinical trials. All patients followed an eccentric exercise program. The Ö hberg neovascularization score (0–4+) and V ictorian I nstitute of S ports A ssessment‐ A chilles ( VISA ‐ A ) score (split into domains: pain, function and activity) were collected during baseline and follow‐up. The relationship between neovascularization and VISA ‐ A score was calculated. At baseline, 107 tendons (76%) showed some degree of neovascularization. In 556 coupled measurements, neovascularization was weakly related to the VISA ‐ A score [ E xp ( B ) 1.017, 95% confidence interval ( CI ), 1.007–1.026]. No significant relationship was found between neovascularization and the pain domain ( P = 0.277) and the activity domain ( P = 0.283), but there was between neovascularization and the function domain of the VISA ‐ A score [ E xp ( B ) = 1.067, 95% CI 1.018–1.119]. In conclusion, neovascularization in A chilles tendinopathy is weakly related to clinical severity, mainly based on the function domain of the VISA ‐ A score.