Differential Impact of Body Mass Index in Hip Arthroscopy: Obesity Does Not Impact Outcomes

Background: Hip arthroscopy is commonly used for the treatment of hip pathologies. As population obesity rates continue to increase, elucidating the impact of body mass index (BMI) on hip arthroscopy outcomes is essential. This investigation was conducted to quantify the effects of BMI on hip arthroscopy outcomes. Methods: We conducted a retrospective medical records review of 459 patients undergoing hip arthroscopy at a single center from 2008 to 2016. The Harris Hip Score (HHS) and 2 component scores of the 12-Item Short Form Survey-the physical component score (PCS-12) and the mental component score (MCS-12)-were used to measure outcomes. Patients were stratified into 4 cohorts based on their BMI: underweight (BMI <18.5 kg/m²), normal weight (BMI 18.5 to 24.9 kg/m²), overweight (BMI 25.0 to 29.9 kg/m²), and obese (BMI ≥30.0 kg/m²). Results: At 1 and 2 years postoperatively, all cohorts experienced statistically significant improvements in the HHS and PCS-12. At 3 years postoperatively, statistically significant improvements were seen in the HHS for all cohorts; in the PCS-12 for the normal weight, overweight, and obese cohorts; and in the MCS-12 for the normal weight cohort. Intercohort differences were not statistically significant at 1, 2, or 3 years postoperatively. Conclusion: In our population, BMI did not have statistically significant effects on patient outcome scores following hip arthroscopy. All patient cohorts showed postoperative improvements, and differences between BMI cohorts were not statistically significant at any postoperative time point.