Prevalence and role of psychiatric conditions in patients diagnosed with anterior knee pain

Background Anterior knee pain (AKP) is a common musculoskeletal complaint with multifactorial etiology, potentially influenced by psychiatric and psychological factors. This retrospective, matched case-control study evaluates the prevalence of psychiatric conditions in patients with AKP compared to healthy controls . Hypothesis Patients with AKP will have a higher prevalence of psychiatric conditions than matched healthy controls. Study Design Case-Control Study Methods 126 patients with AKP were retrospectively identified using ICD-10 codes and were matched to controls based on gender, age, and BMI. Patient demographics, surgical history, medications, and psychiatric health were recorded. Demographic variables were compared using independent t-tests, while McNemar tests analyzed differences in psychiatric conditions and medication usage. Subgroup analyses were performed and defined by gender, age greater than or less than 35, and BMI greater than or less than 25. Results Among 126 matched pairs, there were similar rates of psychiatric conditions and medication usage between the AKP group (23 patients, 18.3%) and the control group (18 patients, 14.3%), p = 0.472. Subgroup analyses demonstrated no differences when stratified by gender (Male [p = 0.80]; Female [p = 0.12]), age (< 35 [p = 1.00]; > 35 [p = 0.50]), and BMI (< 25 [p = 0.10]; > 25 [p = 0.82]). Conclusion No significant difference in psychiatric condition prevalence was found between AKP and control groups. This suggests that formal psychiatric conditions may not be prevalent in patients with AKP. Future studies could investigate psychological traits that influence recovery in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction patients with AKP.