Prevalence of hip osteoarthritis and acetabular dysplasia in French and Japanese adults

Objective. To determine ethnic variations of acetabular morphology, and to delineate their relationship with hip osteoarthritis (OA). Methods. Radiographs of 283 French men, 118 French women, 414 Japanese men and 368 Japanese women, aged 20-79 yr, who underwent intravenous urography were assessed by a single observer for morphometric measurement and hip OA scoring. Results. The standardized morbidity ratio (SMR) for hip OA was highest in French men and lowest in Japanese men: whereas the SMR for acetabular dysplasia was highest in Japanese women and lowest in French men. French men and women had the highest centre-edge angle, followed by Japanese men then Japanese women. Conclusion. In a large number of subjects assessed by a single observer, this study confirms other previous reports that the relationship between acetabular dysplasia and risk of hip OA is negative.