3rd International Congress on Surgery and Anesthesia
September 02 | Virtual Event
Amari Eubanks
Howard University College of Medicine USA, USA
Abstract:
Meniscus degeneration is the breakdown of cartilage in the knee that could lead to osteoarthritis,
with female athletes at an increased risk. The deficiency of sex hormones (i.e, Estrogen)
are known to influence joints, but the impact of elevated hormones is unknown. The study
aims to evaluate elevated hormone levels in female athletes with the risk of meniscus injuries.
A retrospective cohort study was conducted using the TriNetX Global Collaborative Network.
Two cohorts were defined: female athletes aged 15-45 on OCPs or HRT (n=61,888), and a control
group of female athletes not on hormonal therapy (n=205,175). The primary outcome was
meniscus injuries, including meniscus tears or derangements. Patients with meniscus-related
knee injuries and osteoarthritis before hormonal therapy were excluded. Statistical analyses
included risk analysis, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, and frequency analysis over a 5-year
follow-up period. OCPs and HRT in female athletes after matching (n=58,265) were positively
associated with meniscus injury compared to the control group. OCP and HRT athletes had a
risk ratio of 1.369 and an odds ratio of 1.375. Kaplan-Meier Analysis showed similar time-related
meniscus injuries (97.59% vs. 97.63%). Users also had a slight increase in subsequent injury,
but this did not show statistical significance (3.54 vs. 3.420; p = 0.666). Hormonal therapy
slightly increases the number of meniscus related injuries for female athletes. These findings
suggest that oral contraception and hormone therapy may impact joint health and should be
considered for future risk assessments.
Biography
Amari Eubanks is a Howard University 2024 alumna and a 2nd year medical student at Howard College of Medicine.
Before completing her Bachelor’s degree in three years, she was a BS/MD student as an undergraduate
student. Her passion for athletics as well as her desire to give back to underserved communities has guided her
interest in orthopedic surgery and sports medicine. Amari is committed to addressing health care disparities,
and hopes to increase access to high quality surgical care as a future orthopedic surgeon.