In recent years a number of studies have shown inferior results from arthroscopic treatment of femoroacetabular impingement in older patients, and particularly those aged 50 years. Older age therefore proved to be a poor prognostic indicator for the outcome. However, a new study sheds more light on this; it compared the results between two different age groups after hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement with or without a tear of the labrum. Specifically, this study compared the results of patients aged over 50 years with those aged 20 to 35 years, over a follow-up period of five years.
The paper was a retrospective comparative prognostic study using prospectively selected patients from a database who had undergone arthroscopy, with a minimum follow-up of five years. All patients completed the Modified Harris Hip Score (MHHS) and Non-Arthritic Hip Score (NAHS) rating scales before surgery and five years afterwards. The patients aged over 50 years were matched to the younger group (20 to 35 years) for sex, body mass index and preoperative scores. The results were assessed by statistical methods. In total, 35 older patients (mean age 58.3 years) were matched with 35 younger patients (mean age 29.2 years). Both groups consisted mainly of women (65.7%) and had a similar body mass index (26.0). Acetabular cartilage lesions of Outerbridge grade 3 to 4 were more frequent in the older group (older 28.6% versus younger 0%). Reoperation rates at 5 years were not significantly different between the two groups (8.6 % in the older group versus 2.9% in the younger). There were no statistically significant differences in the five-year results of the rating scales.
The authors concluded that there were no statistically significant differences in reoperation rates or in the rating scales between patients aged over 50 years and those aged 20 to 35 years after primary hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement.
Source: "Arthroscopy", July 2023