The femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) lesion of the cam type has been linked to the development of osteoarthritis in adults. There are multiple studies in the literature containing such evidence, but the subject is still a matter of debate among orthopaedic surgeons.
A new study sought to determine whether the presence of cam morphology in patients aged 40 to 55 years is associated with the development of radiographic osteoarthritis of the hip.
A total of 107 individuals were studied (68% women and 32% men, with a mean age of 49 ± 4 years), who were included in the Ullersaker study. The assessments they underwent included questionnaires, hip range of motion, and ultrasound and radiographic examination.
The prevalence of cam morphology was 42% and it was bilateral in 47% of individuals. Patients with cam morphology were six times more likely to have a Kellgren Lawrence grade ⩾ 2 and four times more likely to have a minimum joint space < 2mm. The prevalence of the radiographic features of osteoarthritis was 4-13% in individuals with cam-type morphology and 0-3% in those without it. Those with cam morphology also showed reduced hip flexion and rotation compared with those without the cam lesion. There was no association between the patients’ ultrasound findings.
The authors concluded that in a cohort aged 40 to 55 years the prevalence of cam morphology was high (42%), with a significant association between cam morphology and the radiographic features of osteoarthritis of the hip.
Source: “Hip International”, July 2020