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What Are the Reference Values and Associated Factors for Center-edge Angle and Alpha Angle? A Population-based Study
Cornelius Sebastian Fischer1, Jens-Peter Kühn, Till Ittermann
1C. S. Fischer, D. Gümbel, P. Hinz, J. Lange, Clinic of Trauma, Reconstructive Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany J.-P. Kühn, Institute of Diagnostic Radiology and Neuroradiology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald Germany; and the Institute of Radiology, University Hospital, Carl-Gustav Carus University, Dresden, Germany T. Ittermann, C.-O. Schmidt, Institute for Community Medicine, Ernst Moritz Arndt University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany R. Kasch, Center for Orthopaedics, Trauma Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine and Clinic and Outpatient Clinic for Orthopaedics and Orthopaedic Surgery, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany M. Frank, Department of Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery, Unfallkrankenhaus Berlin, Berlin, Germany R. Laqua, Department of Diagnostic, Interventional and Pediatric Radiology, Bern University Hospital, Bern, Switzerland.
This study establishes normal ranges for hip center-edge angle and alpha angle using population data. Factors like age and sex influence these angles, crucial for hip preservation surgery decisions.
Area of Science:
- Radiology
- Orthopedics
- Hip Biomechanics
Background:
- Limited data exists on normal ranges for hip center-edge angle and alpha angle.
- Previous studies were small and did not adequately evaluate influencing factors like sex and anthropometry.
- Accurate normal values are critical for guiding hip preservation surgery decisions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish normal values for alpha and center-edge angles in adults using MRI data from a population-based study.
- To determine associations between these angles and demographic factors (age, sex) and anthropometric variables.
Main Methods:
- Utilized MRI images from 3226 participants in the population-based Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP).
- Calculated reference values using quantile regressions for the 2.5 and 97.5 percentiles.
- Analyzed associations with sex, age, weight, height, BMI, and waist circumference via bivariate linear regression.
Main Results:
- Established normal ranges: 17°-45° for center-edge angle (mean 31°) and 39°-71° for alpha angle (mean 55°).
- Identified significant differences based on sex, with men having lower center-edge angles and higher alpha angles than women.
- Found associations between both angles and age, height, waist circumference, and BMI, with weight also linked to alpha angle.
Conclusions:
- Normal ranges for center-edge and alpha angles are wide, suggesting only marked abnormalities correlate with pathology.
- Age, sex, and anthropometric factors significantly influence these angles and must be considered for accurate interpretation.
- Clinical assessment remains paramount for therapeutic decisions, not solely relying on radiographic values.
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