THURSDAY, March 3, 2005 (HealthDay News) -- A shallow hip socket is a strong risk factor for hip osteoarthritis, the leading cause of disability among the elderly, Dutch researchers report.
Writing in the March issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism, the researchers used hip radiographs to examine 835 women and men, age 55 and older, for signs of a condition called acetabular dysplasia. This condition is marked by a shallow hip socket that can make the hip unstable and, in severe cases, prone to dislocation.
The researchers also evaluated the study participants' body mass index (BMI) and history of heavy, physically demanding work.
They then tracked the participants' six-year incidence of hip osteoarthritis.
The researchers found that the risk of hip osteoarthritis was more than four times greater in those with mild to moderate acetabular dysplasia than those without the condition, with women being at higher risk than men. Individuals with acetabular dysplasia who also had a relatively low body mass index, as well as those who tended to put a lot of stress on their hips, were also at increased risk for arthritic hips, the researchers added.
The study authors concluded that acetabular dysplasia of any measurable depth or degree -- not just severe acetabular dysplasia -- is a strong, independent risk factor for hip osteoarthritis.
Other risk factors for this progressive joint disease include genes, age, hormones, gender, BMI, and mechanical stress.
More information
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons has more about hip osteoarthritis.
