Smoking is a risk factor for ACL injury and ACLR graft rupture

Abstract

<p>SMOKING IS A RISK FACTOR FOR ACL INJURY AND ACLR GRAFT RUPTURE Professor Peter Wai Pan Yau1<br>1The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, 2Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong SAR</p><p>Introduction</p><p>The aim of this study was to compare the prevalence of smoking in patients who underwent anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) with that of the general population and to determine the relationship between smoking and ACLR graft rupture.</p><p>Methods</p><p>A retrospective study was conducted, comparing the prevalence of smoking in patients who received ACLR at the author's institute, with that of the general population. The statistics on the prevalence of smoking of the general population was retrieved from the 2022 census report. Additionally, a propensity score matching study was performed to assess the relationship between smoking and ACLR graft rupture.</p><p>Results</p><p>A total of 586 men and 123 women who received primary ACLRs were recruited. The results showed that the prevalence of ever-smoking and daily smoking in patients who underwent ACLR (23.5% and 16.4%, respectively) was higher than that in the general population (14.9% and 9.5%, respectively; p < 0.001), with a significant increase in the age groups of 20 to 29 years (odds ratio=3.8, 95% CI = 2.9 to 5.0) and 29 to 39 years (odds ratio=2.3; 95% CI = 1.6 to 3.4). Furthermore, ever-smokers had a higher risk of graft rupture after ACLR compared to non-smokers at a mean follow-up of six years (19% and 8%, respectively; p=0.044).</p><p>Conclusion</p><p>In conclusion, the prevalence of daily smoking was found to be 1.9 times higher in patients who underwent ACLR than that of the general population, and ever-smokers had a higher incidence of ACLR graft rupture than non-smokers.</p>