Age-related changes in femoral trabecular bone in arthrosis

Age-related changes in the cancellous bone in selected regions of the proximal femur and iliac crest were assessed. An arthrosis group and a control cadaver group, partitioned into subjects younger and older than aged 50 years, were compared. The control group comprised 69 heads of femur and iliac crest samples. The arthrosis group comprised 28 consecutive heads of femur affected by primary arthrosis and an iliac crest biopsy taken during hip arthroplasty. Cancellous bone was sampled from four selected regions in the proximal femur. Histomorphometric estimates of percentage bone volume were determined using image analysis. In the young controls the bone volume was higher than that in the old controls for all the regions. In the arthrosis group the bone volume was higher than that of the old controls except for the subchondral principal tensile and medial to the greater trochanter regions. The old controls had regression of bone volume on age for the subchondral and medial principal compressive regions and the iliac crest. The arthrosis group had a minimal dependence of bone volume on age. Our study showed that primary arthrosis modulates the age dependence of bone volume in the proximal femur.