Risk factors for disease progression can differ from those of disease onset. A 2009 systematic review summarising the results of 18 prospective cohort studies found strong evidence that age, baseline hip pain, and several radiographic features were predictive of the progression of hip osteoarthritis, while there was weak evidence of no association with body mass index (Wright

et al 2009). The role of modifiable biomechanical and neuromuscular factors such as muscle Selleckchem GSK126 weakness in predisposing to development of hip osteoarthritis has not been investigated. A limited number of studies have evaluated the course of functional status over time in people with hip osteoarthritis. For studies with follow-up durations of three years or less, pain and functional status appear to be relatively stable on a population level although considerable individual variation occurs. With follow-up of longer than three years, deterioration has been noted (van Dijk et al 2006, van Dijk et al 2010). There is little research

on predictors of functional decline. A longitudinal cohort study of 123 people with hip osteoarthritis found that several factors predicted 3-year worsening of function including range of motion, pain severity, cognitive impairment and co-morbidities (van Dijk et al 2010). Therefore, while progression of hip osteoarthritis can occur, it is not necessarily inevitable and for many people osteoarthritis INCB018424 cell line may remain stable or even improve. Hip osteoarthritis can generally

be diagnosed by a combination of history and physical examination findings without the need for an X-ray and exposing the patient to unnecessary radiation. The most commonly used clinical criteria for diagnosing hip osteoarthritis are those from the American College of Rheumatology (Altman et al 1991), which include either of two sets of clinical features (Box 1). Clinical Set A Clinical Set B • Age > 50 years Rolziracetam • Age > 50 years • Hip pain • Hip pain • Hip internal rotation ≥ 15 deg • Hip internal rotation • Pain with hip internal rotation < 15 deg • Morning stiffness of the hip ≤ 60 min • Hip flexion ≤ 115 deg Full-size table Table options View in workspace Download as CSV Moderate-to-severe hip osteoarthritis can be confirmed on radiographs with findings including joint space narrowing, marginal osteophytes, subchondral sclerosis, and bone cysts. Magnetic resonance imaging is more useful than radiographs in detecting early structural changes such as focal cartilage defects and bone marrow lesions in the subchondral bone. Hip osteoarthritis has different radiological presentations based on the pattern of migration of the femoral head within the acetabulum. Superolateral femoral migration is more common in men while women have more superomedial migration (Ledingham et al 1992).