Osteoarthritis of the hip and acetabular dysplasia.

The relation between acetabular dysplasia and osteoarthritis of the hip was examined in a series of 1516 pelvic radiographs taken for non-skeletal indications. Osteoarthritis was assessed by measuring joint space, and dysplasia by the centre-edge angle and acetabular depth. In contrast with previous studies of patients with symptomatic osteoarthritis of the hip, no evidence that dysplasia predisposes to osteoarthritis was found. Possible reasons for the discrepancy are discussed. It was concluded that although acetabular dysplasia may lead to osteoarthritis of the hip in some subjects, it is unlikely to be an important cause of the disease in men.