Strong evidence
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Lawrence & Aitken-Swan40 | 1945–49 | Case control (UK). Cases: miners (n = 1742). Controls: non-miners from engineering yard, offices, mining families and the local population (n = 1931) | Miners v non-miners | Rheumatic pain in the knee | Miners | 4.9% |
Non-miners | 2.5% |
Atkins14 | 1953 | Cohort (UK). Mine employees with damage to a knee cartilage | Employment in mine | Meniscus damage | Kneeling | 10.4% |
Fall of coal | 20.0% |
Tripping | 45.2% |
Other | 24.3% |
Moderate evidence
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Kellgren & Lawrence41 | Not specified | Case control (UK). Cases: miners (n = 84). Controls: manual (n = 45) and office workers (n = 42) | Miners v manual v office workers | Radiograph assessed on five point scale of severity | Miners | 6.0% |
Manual | 2.0% |
Office | 0% |
Jensen et al47 | Not specified | Case control (Denmark). Cases: floorlayers (n = 50). Controls: carpenters (n = 51) and compositors (n = 49) | Floorlayers v carpenters v compositors | K&L⩾2 | Floorlayers <50 years | 0% |
⩾50 years | 34.0% |
Carpenters <50 years | 7.0% |
⩾50 years | 9.0% |
Compositors <50 years | 5.0% |
⩾50 years | 9.0% |
Weak evidence
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Lawrence42 | Not specified | Case-control (UK). Cases: miners (n = 221). Controls: dockers (n = 54) and light manual/office staff (n = 87) | Miners v dockers v light manual/office workers with definite radiographic changes | Radiograph assessed on five point scale of severity | Miners | 24.8% |
Dockers | 11.0% |
Light manual/office workers | 9.2% |
Lindberg & Montgomery43 | Not specified | Case control (Sweden). Cases: shipyard workers (n = 332). Controls: teachers/office staff (n = 352) and population controls (n = 438) | Shipyard workers v teachers/office staff v population controls (occupation unknown) | Ahlback (where available) | Shipyard workers | 3.9% |
Teachers/office staff | 1.4% |
Population controls | 1.6% |