The correlation between hip morphology and hip osteoarthritis : a cross-sectional study

Abstract EN

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a highly prevalent chronic degenerative joint disease with different risk factors, which need to be investigated in order to perform more appropriate interventions in earlier phases of Osteoarthritis.

Objectives: Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the correlation between hip morphology and hip Osteoarthritis.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on patients aged 15 to 60 years old with hip problems, diagnosed with hip Osteoarthritis, compared with healthy individuals as the control group.

Then radiographic parameters, such as alpha angle, acetabular angle of sharp (AA), lateral center-edge angle (LCEA), femoral neck-shaft angle (FNA), coxa profunda, acetabular protrusio, crossover sign, posterior wall sign, and the ischial sign were measured by pelvic (AP) X-ray, using PACS systems in both groups.

Results: This study found that alpha angle and AA were significantly greater in OA patients as compared to healthy individuals (P < 0.001).

Furthermore, LCEA was significantly greater in the Osteoarthritis group on the left side as compared to the control group (38.93 ± 8.43 versus 36.81 ± 4.74, P = 0.042) yet LCEA on the right side and total amount were not different between the two groups (P>0.05).

By grouping studied angles, it was found that the frequency of alpha angle > 55°, AA > 38°, and LCEA > 40° were significantly higher in the OA group as compared to the control group (P < 0.05).

Furthermore, the researchers observed that the frequency of acetabular protrusio (P = 0.013) and posterior wall sign were significantly higher in the OA group as compared to healthy individuals (P < 0.05).

Conclusions: The current results showed that the higher Body Mass Index (BMI), greater alpha and acetabular angles, sharp, lateral center-edge angle center-edge angle, the higher rate of a posterior wall sign, and acetabular protrusio increased the risk of OA, which support that these structural changes are major contributors to OA development.