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Study IDs Predictors of Biomechanical Function in Patients With OA Undergoing Hip Replacement

By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on April 23, 2025.

WEDNESDAY, April 23, 2025 -- For patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA), osteoarthritis (OA) severity is the best predictor of preoperative biomechanical function, and preoperative muscle fat fraction is the best predictor of postoperative function, according to a study published online April 23 in the Journal of Orthopaedic Research.

Ryan T. Halvorson, M.D., from the University of California in San Francisco, and colleagues examined imaging factors associated with change in biomechanical function following THA. To assess hip muscle fat fraction and OA severity, 10 patients undergoing primary THA for OA were recruited prospectively and underwent preoperative magnetic resonance imaging. A Spearman's rank correlation coefficient (ρ) was used to assess relationships of muscle fat fraction and OA severity with biomechanical function.

The researchers found the strongest association between preoperative biomechanical function and OA severity (ρ = −0.68); more severe OA predicted worse biomechanical function. There was no relation between muscle fat fraction and preoperative function. The strongest association for postoperative biomechanical function was preoperative muscle fat fraction (ρ = −0.58, −0.72, and −0.59 for gluteus medius, gluteus minimus, and tensor fascia lata, respectively), with poor function predicted by worse muscle fat fraction. No association was seen between OA severity and postoperative function. There was also no association seen for muscle fat fraction with OA severity.

"While the impact of OA on biomechanical function may be alleviated with arthroplasty, preexisting muscle quality is not addressed with THA and may represent a target for patient‐specific optimization and rehabilitation," the authors write.

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Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Posted April 2025

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