Symptoms associated with compartmental radiographic disease in hip arthroplasty patients

We compared symptoms to radiographic disease in the medial (less weight bearing) and axial and superolateral (greater weight bearing) compartments in total hip arthroplasty patients. Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index scores (0 [best] to 100 [worst]) were better for patients with more medial than axial radiographic disease for pain (41 vs 53; P =.002), stiffness (43 vs 56; P =.003), and function (49 vs 58; P =.03). Similarly, patients with more medial than superolateral disease had fewer symptoms. Patients with disease principally in the less weight-bearing medial compartment had milder symptoms than their radiographs suggested. Patients with disease principally in the greater weight-bearing axial and superolateral compartments had more severe symptoms than their radiographs suggested. The association between symptoms and radiographic disease depended on which compartment of the hip was most affected.