Heavy physical work, musculoskeletal injuries linked to increased risk of hip OA

A group of Finnish orthopedic surgeons and rehabilitation physicians reported that heavy physical stress at work and major musculoskeletal injuries are associated with an increased risk of developing clinically diagnosed hip osteoarthritis (OA).

In their long-term study, the researchers, led by Riikka Juhakoski, MD, of Mikkeli Central Hospital, Mikkeli, Finland, sought to target the potential risk factors and their roles in the etiology of hip OA, which they say are poorly understood. They published their findings in the recent issue of Rheumatology.

“We analyzed several alleged risk factors predisposing to hip OA in a 22-year prospective study,” the researchers wrote in their abstract.

They conducted a comprehensive health survey from 1978-1980 using a nationally representative sample of adult Finns. In 2000-2001, 1,286 participants in that survey were invited for re-examination, and 909 agreed to participate. After excluding those patients with hip OA at the baseline and those who were no longer working, the researchers included 840 subjects in the study.

They diagnosed hip OA on the basis of a standardized clinical examination by physicians who applied uniform criteria both at the baseline and at the re-examination phase, according to their abstract.

After 22 years of follow-up, the investigators diagnosed hip OA in 41 subjects (4.9%). Heavy manual labor predicted the risk of developing hip OA [adjusted odds ratio (OR) 6.7; 95% CI 2.3, 19.5]. Permanent damage as a consequence of any musculoskeletal injury was also an independent predictor of hip OA (adjusted OR 5.0; 95% CI 1.9, 13.3).

Body mass index, smoking, alcohol intake and leisure time physical activity were not factors considered predictive for hip OA, the researchers wrote.

Reference:
Juhakoski R, Heliövaara M, Impivaara O, et al. Risk factors for the development of hip osteoarthritis: a population-based prospective study. Rheumatology. 2009;48(1):83-87.