Abstract
Few epidemiological studies from Asian countries have addressed this issue and reported that FAI is less prevalent in Asian population. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of radiographic hip abnormalities associated with FAI in asymptomatic Korean volunteers. The authors hypothesized that the prevalence of FAI in Korean population would not be less than that in western population.
Two hundred asymptomatic volunteers with no prior hip surgery or childhood hip problems underwent three-view plain radiography (pelvis anteroposterior (AP) view, Sugioka view, and 45° Dunn view) of both hips. Cam lesions were defined as the presence of the following signs on each views: pistol-grip deformity, osseous bump at the femoral head-neck junction, flattening of the femoral head-neck offset, or alpha angle >50°. Pincer lesions were determined by radiographic signs, including crossover sign, posterior wall deficient sign, or lateral center-edge (CE) angle >40°. Only positive cases agreed by both observers were defined as true FAI-related deformities.
There were 146 male and 254 female hips, with a mean age of 34.7 years. On pelvis AP view, the prevalence of pistol grip deformity, bump, flattening, and alpha angle >50° was 1.3% (male 3.4%, female 0%), 0.8% (male 2.1%, female 0%), 0.8% (male 2.1%, female 0%), and 1.0% (male 2.7%, female 0%), respectively. On Sugioka view, the prevalence of bump, flattening, and alpha angle >50° was 9.8% (male 14.4%, female 7.1%), 13.5% (male 20.5%, female 9.4%), and 14.0% (male 26.7%, female 6.7%), respectively. On 45° Dunn view, the prevalence of bump, flattening, and alpha angle >50° was 8.0% (male 14.4%, female 4.3%), 17.5% (male 27.4%, female 11.8%), and 27.5% (male 44.5%, female 17.7%), respectively. The prevalence of cam lesion which was identified on at least one radiograph was 42.5% (male 62.3%, female 31.1%). The prevalence of cam lesion which was identified on ≥2 radiographs was 19.3% (male 30.8%, female 12.6%). The prevalence of cam type FAI (at least one cam lesion) was 2.0% (male 5.5%, female 0%) on pelvis AP view, 25.8% (male 37.0%, female 19.3%) on Sugioka view, and 35.8% (male 55.5%, female 24.4%) on 45° Dunn view. On pelvis AP view, the prevalence of crossover sign, posterior wall sign, and CE angle >40° was 20.0% (male 23.3%, female 18.1%), 20.8% (male 22.6%, female 19.7%), and 2.0% (male 2.7%, female 1.6%), respectively. The prevalence of pincer type of FAI (at least one pincer lesion) was 23.0% (male 27.4%, female 20.5%).
In asymptomatic Korean volunteers, the prevalence of cam type FAI was low on AP pelvis radiographs, whereas the prevalence of cam type FAI on Sugioka and 45° Dunn view was found to be comparable to that previously reported in Western populations. The prevalence of pincer type FAI in asymptomatic Korean volunteers was also comparable that in Western populations and was similar in both gender. Considering the high prevalence of FAI morphologic features on plain radiographs in asymptomatic Korean populations, it is also important to determine whether FAI is a cause of hip pain when considering surgery in Asian patients.
