Neuropathic pain is a feature in patients with symptomatic femoral acetabular impingement.

Femoral acetabular impingement syndrome (FAIS) is a cause of hip pain thought to be nociceptive, although pain phenotypes e.g., burning, pain attacks, prickling, numbness etc., are reported, mimicking neuropathic pain. Although no lesion to the somatosensory system is identified, neuropathic pain (NeP) may explain why nociceptive-focussed treatments are not always successful. OBJECTIVE: To identify NeP in patients with FAIS and investigate if related to poorer outcomes. DESIGN: A secondary analysis of the Femoral Acetabular Impingement Trial (FAIT). Outcome of interest: PainDETECT questionnaire; secondary outcomes of interest; International Hip Outcome Tool (iHOT33), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and VAS 'average pain over a month', at baseline and 8 months follow-up. Intervention (surgery or physiotherapy) were pooled. RESULTS: 173 data sets at baseline; 123 at 8 months follow-up. Baseline painDETECT identified three groups: 69% nociceptive, 19% unclear and 12% neuropathic pain phenotypes. Baseline, median scores were higher for the neuropathic group compared to the nociceptive group demonstrating borderline anxiety (9.5(5.3 to 14.2), 5(3 to 8), higher normal values for depression (7.5(2.3 to 11.8), (4(2 to 9), higher average pain (7 (6 to 8), 5(4 to 6) and lower iHOT33 14.2(9 to 21.1), 38.4(26.2 to 55.7). Post treatment, there was a median change in the neuropathic score in both iHOT33 (40.8 (25 to 76.5) with a median difference of 24.13 (CI 95% 10.46 to 45.92) and average pain 4.5(1.5 to 7) with a median difference of 2 (CI 95% 1 to 5) but to a lesser amount than the nociceptive group, iHOT33 (64(38.2 to 86.6) with a median difference of 15.50 (CI 95% 6.41 to 21.82) and average pain 3(1 to 5.7) with a median difference of 1 (CI 95% 0.5 to 1). CONCLUSION: NeP exists in symptomatic FAIS patients and is associated with increased average pain, and functional limitations. Nociceptive-targeted treatment improves hip function and pain but with less improvement in the NeP group when compared to the nociceptive group. Pain phenotyping before intervention may improve outcomes. CONTRIBUTION OF PAPER.

Coronal-plane leg alignment in adolescence and the effects of activity: A full leg length MRI study.

The aim of this study was to explore the association between developing coronal-plane leg alignment and activity levels during adolescence. We performed a cross-sectional cohort study with individuals from soccer club academies and an age-matched control population. Outcome measures were the hip knee angle (HKA), medial proximal tibial physeal angle (MPTPhyA), lateral distal femoral physeal angle (LDFPhyA) on full leg length magnetic reasonance imagine scans, and the physical activity questionnaire (PAQ) score. The cohort comprised 57 elite male soccer players, 34 male and 34 female controls aged 11-21 years. Mean HKA became more varus with age, with little change after 16 years or skeletal maturity. Skeletally mature elite male soccer players were significantly more varus than male controls with a HKA 2.28° less than male controls (p < 0.001). Skeletally mature male controls had a HKA 1.34° less than female controls (p < 0.001). A negative correlation existed between HKA and PAQ score (coefficient -0.24, p = 0.029). A positive correlation existed between HKA and MPTPhyA (coefficient 0.32, p = 0.008). In conclusion, high activity levels during adolescence are associated with the development of varus leg alignment. Mean HKA becomes more varus with age until skeletal maturity. The development of varus alignment may represent a physiological adaptation to load at the proximal tibial physis. Clinical Significance: A time period may exist for intervention before the development of varus leg alignment in young athletes, such as training load modification or proximal tibial morphology monitoring.

Assessing a 12-month course of oral alendronate for adults with avascular necrosis of the hip: MANTIS RCT with internal pilot.

BACKGROUND: People with avascular necrosis of the hip have very limited treatment options currently available to stop the progression of this disease; this often results in the need for a hip replacement. There is some weak evidence that a class of drugs called bisphosphonates may delay the course of the disease, and this trial was commissioned and set up to provide robust evidence regarding the use of bisphosphonates in adults aged ≥ 18 years with this condition. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the Managing Avascular Necrosis Treatments: an Interventional Study ( MANTIS ) trial was to evaluate the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a 12-month course of alendronate in the treatment of avascular necrosis. DESIGN: This was a 66-month, definitive, multisite, two-arm, parallel-group, placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomised controlled trial, with an internal pilot phase. SETTING: Eight secondary care NHS hospitals across the UK. PARTICIPANTS: Planned trial size - 280 adult patients with avascular necrosis. INTERVENTION: Participants in the intervention group received 70 mg of alendronate (an oral bisphosphonate) weekly for 12 months. MAIN OUTCOMES: The main outcomes were Oxford Hip Score at 12 months (short-term outcome) and the time to decision that a hip replacement is required at 36 months (long-term outcome). RESULTS: Twenty-one patients were recruited and randomised to receive either the intervention drug, alendronate, or a placebo-matched tablet. LIMITATIONS: This trial was principally limited by low disease prevalence. Other limitations included the late disease stage at which participants were identified and the rapid progression of the disease. FUTURE WORK: This trial was limited by a low recruitment rate. Avascular necrosis of the hip should be treated as a rare disease. Future trials would need to recruit many more sites and recruit over a longer time period, and, for this reason, a registry may provide a more effective means of collecting data pertaining to this disease. CONCLUSIONS: The MANTIS trial was terminated at the end of the pilot phase, because it did not meet its go/no-go criteria. The main issue was a poor recruitment rate, owing to a lower than expected disease prevalence and difficulties in identifying the condition at a sufficiently early stage. Those patients who were identified and screened either were too advanced in their disease progression or were already taking medication. We would not recommend that a short-term interventional study is conducted on this condition until its prevalence, geographic foci and natural history and better understood. The difficulty of acquiring this understanding is likely to be a barrier in most health-care markets. One means of developing this understanding would be the introduction of a database/registry for patients suffering from avascular necrosis of the hip. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial is registered as ISRCTN14015902. FUNDING: This project was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research ( NIHR ) Health Technology Assessment programme and will be published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 26, No. 43. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.

WHAT WAS THE QUESTION?: The Managing Avascular Necrosis Treatments: an Interventional Study ( MANTIS ) trial was designed to compare ways of treating patients with avascular necrosis who are seeking to slow down the deterioration of their condition. Alendronate is a drug routinely available across the NHS in both tablet and injection form, and doctors and scientists believe that it might prevent ongoing hip deterioration and result in fewer patients requiring a total hip replacement. WHAT DID WE DO?: This trial attempted to compare alendronate taken as a tablet with an identical-looking tablet that did not contain any of the drug (a placebo) to find out if alendronate reduced the number of patients requiring a hip replacement and having pain (compared with patients who did not get alendronate). WHAT DID WE FIND?: Patients were willing to participate in the trial but we were able to recruit only a small number to the study. The main reason for this was difficulty in identifying potentially suitable patients and approaching them at the right point in their medical care. This was more challenging than anticipated, particularly because the NHS sites and professionals that patients with this condition seek out are extremely variable in the UK. It was also difficult to locate and identify patients with the condition at an early enough stage, and before they had already started taking the drug. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?: More information on patients with this rare condition, such as NHS referral pathways, and an understanding of how the condition progresses may help to improve our understanding of this patient group. This information could also help us determine whether or not there is scope to carry out the study in a different way that might enable these patients to be more easily identified.

Oxford consensus on primary cam morphology and femoroacetabular impingement syndrome: part 1-definitions, terminology, taxonomy and imaging outcomes.

INTRODUCTION: Primary cam morphology is a mostly benign bony prominence that develops at the femoral head-neck junction of the hip, but it is highly prevalent in many athlete populations. In the small proportion of athletes for whom it is not benign, the resulting hip osteoarthritis can be debilitating. Clinicians, athletes, patients and researchers do not yet agree on important primary cam morphology elements. We aimed to ascertain and improve the level of agreement on primary cam morphology definitions, terminology, taxonomy and imaging outcome measures. METHODS: To collect and aggregate informed opinions, an expert panel-the Young Athlete's Hip Research Collaborative-rated primary cam morphology definition, terminology, taxonomy and imaging outcome statements through an online Delphi exercise followed by an online meeting to explore areas of tension and dissent. Reporting followed Conducting and REporting DElphi Studies. RESULTS: A diverse and inclusive Delphi panel (n=65 for rounds 1 and 2, representing 18 countries; 6 stakeholder groups; 40% women) agreed on 35 of 47 statements in 4 domains, while surfacing areas of tension and dissent. This Delphi panel agreed on four key issues essential to moving research and clinical care forward around primary cam morphology. They agreed on: (1) definition, confirming its conceptual attributes (tissue type, size, location, shape and ownership); (2) terminology-use 'morphology' and not terms with a negative connotation like 'lesion', 'abnormality' or 'deformity'; (3) taxonomy, distinguishing between primary and secondary cam morphology, and (4) imaging outcomes, a continuous bone/cartilage alpha angle on radial femoral head-neck MRI for primary cam morphology aetiology research. CONCLUSION: This consensus provides athletes, patients, clinicians and researchers with a strong foundation to guide more precise communication, better clinical decision-making and higher value research about primary cam morphology and its natural history.

Oxford consensus on primary cam morphology and femoroacetabular impingement syndrome: part 2-research priorities on conditions affecting the young person's hip.

INTRODUCTION: Primary cam morphology is highly prevalent in many athlete populations, causing debilitating hip osteoarthritis in some. Existing research is mired in confusion partly because stakeholders have not agreed on key primary cam morphology elements or a prioritised research agenda. We aimed to inform a more rigorous, inclusive and evidence-based approach to research on primary cam morphology and its natural history by working towards agreement on a set of research priorities for conditions affecting the young person's hip. METHODS: An international expert panel-the Young Athlete's Hip Research (YAHiR) Collaborative-rated research priority statements through an online two-round Delphi exercise and met online to explore areas of tension and dissent. Panellists ranked the prioritised research statements according to the Essential National Health Research (ENHR) ranking strategy. Reporting of results followed REPRISE (REporting guideline for PRIority SEtting of health). RESULTS: A diverse Delphi panel (n=65, Delphi rounds 1 and 2; three ENHR strategy surveys: n=49; n=44; n=42) from 18 countries representing six stakeholder groups, prioritised and ranked 18 of 38 research priority statements. The prioritised statements outlined seven research domains: (1) best practice physiotherapy, (2) rehabilitation progression and return to sport, (3) exercise intervention and load management, (4) primary cam morphology prognosis and aetiology, (5) femoroacetabular impingement syndrome prognosis and aetiology, (6) diagnostic criteria, and (7) screening. The panel recommended areas of tension and dissent for the research community to focus on immediately. CONCLUSION: While informing more rigorous, inclusive and evidence-based research, this consensus is a roadmap for researchers, policy-makers and funders to implement research dedicated to reducing the cost and burden of hip disease related to primary cam morphology.

Association between hip joint impingement and lumbar disc disease in elite rowers.

OBJECTIVES: Lumbar disc disease is a known cause of back pain. Increasingly it is thought that cam morphology of the hip may have a causal role in development of lumbar disc disease. The aim of this study was to describe the morphology of the hip and investigate the association of cam morphology with lumbar disc disease observed on MRI in elite rowers. METHODS: Cross-sectional observational study of 20 elite rowers (12 male, 8 female, mean age 24.45, SD 2.1). Assessment included clinical examination, questionnaires, 3T MRI scans of the hips and lumbar spine. Alpha angle of the hips and Pfirrmann score of lumbar discs were measured. RESULTS: 85% of rowers had a cam morphology in at least one hip. Alpha angle was greatest at the 1 o'clock position ((bone 70.9 (SD 16.9), cartilage 71.4 (16.3)). 95% of the group were noted to have labral tears, but only 50% of the group had history of groin pain. 85% of rowers had at least one disc with a Pfirrmann score of 3 or more and 95% had a history of back pain. A positive correlation was observed between the alpha angle and radiological degenerative disc disease (correlation coefficient=3.13, p=0.012). A negative correlation was observed between hip joint internal rotation and radiological degenerative disc disease (correlation coefficient=-2.60, p=0.018). CONCLUSIONS: Rowers have a high prevalence of labral tears, cam morphology and lumbar disc disease. There is a possible association between cam morphology and radiological lumbar degenerative disc disease, however, further investigation is required.

A longitudinal cohort study of adolescent elite footballers and controls investigating the development of cam morphology.

Cam morphology describes an asphericity of the femoral head that develops during adolescence, is highly prevalent in athletes, and predisposes individuals to future osteoarthritis. However, it's aetiology remains poorly understood. The aim of this study was to perform 3-year longitudinal follow-up of a control population and football club academy cohort to compare the change in hip and growth plate anatomy between athletes and controls. MRI and questionnaires were used to characterise change in hip and growth plate anatomy and quantify activity levels. 121 male academy footballers and 107 male and female controls participated at baseline. Footballers experienced significantly greater increases in femoral head asphericity (4.83 degrees (95% CI: 2.84 to 6.82), p < 0.001) than controls. A positive correlation existed between activity levels and change in femoral head morphology (coefficient 0.79, p ≤ 0.001). Greatest morphological change occurred in individuals aged 11-12 years at baseline, with no significant change in individuals aged 14 years and older at baseline. Cam morphology development was secondary to soft tissue hypertrophy and lateral growth plate extension. In conclusion, excessive loading of the hip joint through exercise prior to 14 years of age may result in growth plate adaptations causing cam morphology. Potential interventions may include training type and load modification in young adolescent football players.

Does pre-existing morbidity influences risks and benefits of total hip replacement for osteoarthritis: a prospective study of 6682 patients from linked national datasets in England.

Total hip arthroplasty (THA) surgery for elderly people with multimorbidity increases the risk of serious health hazards including mortality. Whether such background morbidity reduces the clinical benefit is less clear. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate how pre-existing health status, using multiple approaches, influences risks of, and quality of life benefits from, THA. SETTING: Longitudinal record linkage study of a UK sample linking their primary care to their secondary care records. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 6682 patients were included, based on the recording of the diagnosis of hip osteoarthritis in a national primary care register and the recording of the receipt of THA in a national secondary care register.Data were extracted from the primary care register on background health and morbidity status using five different constructs: Charlson Comorbidity Index, Electronic Frailty Index (eFI) and counts of comorbidity disorders (from list of 17), prescribed medications and number of primary care visits prior to recording of THA. OUTCOME MEASURES: (1) Postoperative complications and mortality; (2) postoperative hip pain and function using the Oxford Hip Score (OHS) and health-related quality of life using the EuroQoL (EQ)-5D score. RESULTS: Perioperative complication rate was 3.2% and mortality was 0.9%, both increased with worse preoperative health status although this relationship varied depending on the morbidity construct: the eFI showing the strongest relationship but number of visits having no predictive value. By contrast, the benefits were not reduced in those with worse preoperative health, and improvement in both OHS and EQ-5D was observed in all the morbidity categories. CONCLUSIONS: Independent of preoperative morbidity, THA leads to similar substantial improvements in quality of life. These are offset by an increase in medical complications in some subgroups of patients with high morbidity, depending on the definition used. For most elderly people, their other health disorders should not be a barrier for THA.

Influence of pre-existing multimorbidity on receiving a hip arthroplasty: cohort study of 28 025 elderly subjects from UK primary care.

The median age for total hip arthroplasty (THA) is over 70 years with the corollary that many individuals have multiple multimorbidities. Despite the predicted improvement in quality of life, THA might be denied even to those with low levels of multimorbidity. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate how pre-existing levels of multimorbidity influence the likelihood and timing of THA. SETTING: Longitudinal record linkage study of a UK sample linking their primary care to their secondary care records. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 28 025 patients were included, based on the recording of the diagnosis of hip osteoarthritis in a national primary care register, Clinical Practice Research Datalink. Data were extracted from the database on background health and morbidity status using five different constructs: Charlson Comorbidity Index, Electronic Frailty Index and counts of chronic diseases (from list of 17), prescribed medications and number of primary care visits prior to recording of osteoarthritis. OUTCOME MEASURES: The record of having received a THA as recorded in the primary care record and the linked secondary care database: Hospital Episode Statistics. RESULTS: 40% had THA: median follow 10 months (range 1-17 years). Increased multimorbidity was associated with a decreased likelihood of undergoing THA, irrespective of the method of assessing multimorbidity although the impact varied by approach. CONCLUSION: Markers of pre-existing ill health influence the decision for THA in the elderly with end-stage hip osteoarthritis, although these effects are modest for indices of multimorbidity other than eFI. There is evidence of this influence being present even in people with moderate decrements in their health, despite the balance of benefits to risk in these individuals being positive.

Primary cam morphology; bump, burden or bog-standard? A concept analysis.

BACKGROUND: Cam morphology, a distinct bony morphology of the hip, is prevalent in many athletes, and a risk factor for hip-related pain and osteoarthritis. Secondary cam morphology, due to existing or previous hip disease (eg, Legg-Calve-Perthes disease), is well-described. Cam morphology not clearly associated with a disease is a challenging concept for clinicians, scientists and patients. We propose this morphology, which likely develops during skeletal maturation as a physiological response to load, should be referred to as primary cam morphology. The aim of this study was to introduce and clarify the concept of primary cam morphology. DESIGN: We conducted a concept analysis of primary cam morphology using articles that reported risk factors associated with primary cam morphology; we excluded articles on secondary cam morphology. The concept analysis method is a rigorous eight-step process designed to clarify complex 'concepts'; the end product is a precise definition that supports the theoretical basis of the chosen concept. RESULTS: We propose five defining attributes of primary cam morphology-tissue type, size, site, shape and ownership-in a new conceptual and operational definition. Primary cam morphology is a cartilage or bony prominence (bump) of varying size at the femoral head-neck junction, which changes the shape of the femoral head from spherical to aspherical. It often occurs in asymptomatic male athletes in both hips. The cartilage or bone alpha angle (calculated from radiographs, CT or MRI) is the most common method to measure cam morphology. We found inconsistent reporting of primary cam morphology taxonomy, terminology, and how the morphology is operationalised. CONCLUSION: We introduce and clarify primary cam morphology, and propose a new conceptual and operational definition. Several elements of the concept of primary cam morphology remain unclear and contested. Experts need to agree on the new taxonomy, terminology and definition that better reflect the primary cam morphology landscape-a bog-standard bump in most athletic hips, and a possible hip disease burden in a selected few.

Primary stability of a proximally coated and tapered stem.

AIMS: The aim of this prospective cohort study was to evaluate the early migration of the TriFit cementless proximally coated tapered femoral stem using radiostereometric analysis (RSA). METHODS: A total of 21 patients (eight men and 13 women) undergoing primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) for osteoarthritis of the hip were recruited in this study and followed up for two years. Two patients were lost to follow-up. All patients received a TriFit stem and Trinity Cup with a vitamin E-infused highly cross-linked ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene liner. Radiographs for RSA were taken postoperatively and then at three, 12, and 24 months. Oxford Hip Score (OHS), EuroQol five-dimension questionnaire (EQ-5D), and adverse events were reported. RESULTS: At two years, the mean subsidence of the head and tip for the TriFit stem was 0.38 mm (SD 0.32) and 0.52 mm (SD 0.36), respectively. The total migration of the head and tip was 0.55 mm (SD 0.32) and 0.71 mm (SD 0.38), respectively. There were no statistically significant differences between the three to 12 months' migration (p = 0.105) and 12 to 24 months' migration (p = 0.694). The OHS and EQ-5D showed significant improvements at two years. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that the TriFit femoral stem achieves initial stability and is likely to be stable in the mid and long term. A long-term outcome study is required to assess late mechanisms of failure and the effects of bone mineral density (BMD) related changes. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2021;103-B(4):644-649.

Compositional MRI of the Hip: Reproducibility, Effect of Joint Unloading, and Comparison of T2 Relaxometry with Delayed Gadolinium-Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Cartilage.

OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to compare T2 with delayed gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging of cartilage (dGEMRIC) in the hip and assess the reproducibility and effect of joint unloading on T2 mapping. DESIGN: Ten individuals at high risk of developing hip osteoarthritis (SibKids) underwent contemporaneous T2 mapping and dGEMRIC in the hip (10 hips). Twelve healthy volunteers underwent T2 mapping of both hips (24 hips) at time points 25, 35, 45, and 55 minutes post offloading. Acetabular and femoral cartilage was manually segmented into regions of interest. The relationship between T2 and dGEMRIC values from anatomically corresponding regions of interests was quantified using Pearson's correlation. The reproducibility of image analysis for T2 and dGEMRIC, and reproducibility of image acquisition for T2, was quantified using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), root mean square coefficient of variance (RMSCoV), smallest detectable difference (SDD), and Bland-Altman plots. The paired t test was used to determine if difference existed in T2 values at different unloading times. RESULTS: T2 values correlated most strongly with dGEMRIC values in diseased cartilage (r = -0.61, P = <0.001). T2 image analysis (segmentation) reproducibility was ICC = 0.96 to 0.98, RMSCoV = 3.5% to 5.2%, and SDD = 2.2 to 3.5 ms. T2 values at 25 minutes unloading were not significantly different to longer unloading times (P = 0.132). SDD for T2 image acquisition reproducibility was 7.1 to 7.4 ms. CONCLUSIONS: T2 values in the hip correlate well with dGEMRIC in areas of cartilage damage. T2 shows high reproducibility and values do not change beyond 25 minutes of joint unloading.

The Response of Hip Joint Cartilage to Exercise in Children: An MRI Study Using T2-Mapping.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the effects of activity and cam morphology on cartilage composition during adolescence and investigate the development of cartilage composition with age. DESIGN: Cross-sectional observational cohort study of individuals from football club academies and an age-matched control population, aged 9 to 18 years. Assessments included questionnaires and T2-mapping of hips. Primary imaging outcome measures were T2 relaxation time of acetabular and femoral cartilage, average alpha angle, and lateral epiphyseal extension. RESULTS: The cohort consisted of 109 elite male footballers, 49 male controls, and 51 female controls. Elite male footballers had an acetabular cartilage T2 value 4.85 ms greater than male controls (P < 0.001). A significant positive correlation existed between Physical Activity Questionnaire Score and acetabular cartilage T2 value (coefficient 1.07, P < 0.001) and femoral cartilage T2 value (coefficient 0.66, P = 0.032). Individuals with a closed physis had an acetabular cartilage T2 value 7.86 ms less than individuals with an open physis. Acetabular cartilage T2 values decreased with age in elite footballers. No correlation existed between alpha angle and anterosuperior acetabular cartilage T2 value and no difference in T2 value existed between individuals with and without cam morphology. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that high activity levels may significantly affect acetabular cartilage composition during adolescence, but cam morphology may not detrimentally affect cartilage composition until after adolescence.

Measuring 3D growth plate shape: Methodology and application to cam morphology.

Physeal changes corresponding to cam morphology are currently measured using two-dimensional (2D) methods. These methods are limited by definitions of the femoral neck axis and head center that are dependent on the radiographic plane of view. To address these limitations, we developed three-dimensional (3D) methods for analyzing continuous growth plate shape using magnetic resonance imaging scans. These new methods rely on a single definition of the femoral neck axis and head center that are both nondependent on the radiographic plane of view and allow for analysis of growth plate shape across the growth plate surface (performed using statistical parametric mapping). Using our 3D method, we analyzed the position of the growth plate in the femoral head (relative to a plane tangent to the femoral head) and the curvature of the growth plate (relative to a plane through the center of the growth plate) in 9-16-year-old males at risk for cam morphology and their recreationally active peers (n = 17/cohort). These two measurements provide an avenue to separately analyze the effects of these variables in the overall growth plate shape. We detected differences in growth plate shape with age in recreationally active adolescents but did not detect differences between at risk and recreationally adolescents.

Biodegradable Magnesium Alloys Promote Angio-Osteogenesis to Enhance Bone Repair.

Biodegradable metallic materials represent a potential step-change technology that may revolutionize the treatment of broken bones. Implants made with biodegradable metals are significantly stronger than their polymer counterparts and fully biodegradable in vivo, removing the need for secondary surgery or long-term complications. Here, it is shown how clinically approved Mg alloy promotes improved bone repair using an integrated state of the art fetal mouse metatarsal assay coupled with in vivo preclinical studies, second harmonic generation, secretome array analysis, perfusion bioreactor, and high-resolution 3D confocal imaging of vasculature within skeletal tissue, to reveal a vascular-mediated pro-osteogenic mechanism controlling enhanced tissue regeneration. The optimized mechanical properties and corrosion rate of the Mg alloy lead to a controlled release of metallic Mg, Ca, and Zn ions at a rate that facilitates both angiogenesis and coupled osteogenesis for better bone healing, without causing adverse effects at the implantation site. The findings from this study support ongoing development and refinement of biodegradable metal systems to act as crucial portal technologies with significant potential to improve many clinical applications.

Consensus recommendations on the classification, definition and diagnostic criteria of hip-related pain in young and middle-aged active adults from the International Hip-related Pain Research Network, Zurich 2018.

There is no agreement on how to classify, define or diagnose hip-related pain-a common cause of hip and groin pain in young and middle-aged active adults. This complicates the work of clinicians and researchers. The International Hip-related Pain Research Network consensus group met in November 2018 in Zurich aiming to make recommendations on how to classify, define and diagnose hip disease in young and middle-aged active adults with hip-related pain as the main symptom. Prior to the meeting we performed a scoping review of electronic databases in June 2018 to determine the definition, epidemiology and diagnosis of hip conditions in young and middle-aged active adults presenting with hip-related pain. We developed and presented evidence-based statements for these to a panel of 37 experts for discussion and consensus agreement. Both non-musculoskeletal and serious hip pathological conditions (eg, tumours, infections, stress fractures, slipped capital femoral epiphysis), as well as competing musculoskeletal conditions (eg, lumbar spine) should be excluded when diagnosing hip-related pain in young and middle-aged active adults. The most common hip conditions in young and middle-aged active adults presenting with hip-related pain are: (1) femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) syndrome, (2) acetabular dysplasia and/or hip instability and (3) other conditions without a distinct osseous morphology (labral, chondral and/or ligamentum teres conditions), and that these terms are used in research and clinical practice. Clinical examination and diagnostic imaging have limited diagnostic utility; a comprehensive approach is therefore essential. A negative flexion-adduction-internal rotation test helps rule out hip-related pain although its clinical utility is limited. Anteroposterior pelvis and lateral femoral head-neck radiographs are the initial diagnostic imaging of choice-advanced imaging should be performed only when requiring additional detail of bony or soft-tissue morphology (eg, for definitive diagnosis, research setting or when planning surgery). We recommend clear, detailed and consistent methodology of bony morphology outcome measures (definition, measurement and statistical reporting) in research. Future research on conditions with hip-related pain as the main symptom should include high-quality prospective studies on aetiology and prognosis. The most common hip conditions in active adults presenting with hip-related pain are: (1) FAI syndrome, (2) acetabular dysplasia and/or hip instability and (3) other conditions without distinct osseous morphology including labral, chondral and/or ligamentum teres conditions. The last category should not be confused with the incidental imaging findings of labral, chondral and/or ligamentum teres pathology in asymptomatic people. Future research should refine our current recommendations by determining the clinical utility of clinical examination and diagnostic imaging in prospective studies.

Determining responsiveness and meaningful changes for the Musculoskeletal Health Questionnaire (MSK-HQ) for use across musculoskeletal care pathways.

OBJECTIVES: We have previously developed and validated the Arthritis Research UK Musculoskeletal Health Questionnaire (MSK-HQ) for use across musculoskeletal care pathways, showing encouraging psychometric test results. The objective of this study was to determine the responsiveness of MSK-HQ following MSK treatments and to determine the minimally important change (MIC). SETTING: We collected data in four cohorts from community physiotherapy and secondary-care orthopaedic hip, knee and shoulder clinics. PARTICIPANTS: 592 individuals were recruited; 210 patients treated with physiotherapy for a range of MSK conditions in primary care; 150 patients undergoing hip replacement, 150 patients undergoing knee replacement and 82 undergoing shoulder surgery in secondary care. OUTCOME MEASURES: Preoperative data were collected including the MSK-HQ, European Quality of Life-5D (EQ-5D) and the OHS, OKS or OSS in each joint-specific group. The same scores, together with anchor questions, were collected postintervention at 3 months for the physiotherapy group and 6 months for all others. Following COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health status Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) guidelines, responsiveness was assessed using correlation between scores and the MIC was calculated for the entire cohort using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. RESULTS: The MSK-HQ demonstrated strong correlation (R=0.73) with EQ-5D across the entire cohort and with each of the joint-specific Oxford scores (hip R=0.87, knee R=0.92 and shoulder R=0.77). Moderate correlation was seen between MSK-HQ and EQ-5D across each individual group (R value range 0.60-0.68), apart from the hip group where correlation was strong (R=0.77). The effect size with MSK-HQ was 0.93, in the entire cohort, double that measured with EQ-5D (0.43). In all subgroups, MSK-HQ measured a greater treatment effect compared with EQ-5D. The MIC is 5.5 (95% CI 2.7 to 8.3). CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrates that the MSK-HQ questionnaire is responsive to change across a range of musculoskeletal conditions, supporting its use as a generic MSK measurement instrument.