Prevalence of Radiographic Hip Osteoarthritis in Puerto Rico: A Cross-Sectional Study of Adults Undergoing Pelvic Radiography for Trauma

Abstract

Objective: To determine the prevalence and severity of radiographic hip osteoarthritis (HOA) in a sample of adults in Puerto Rico. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 300 patients aged ≥21 years who underwent anteroposterior pelvic X-rays for trauma at a major medical center in Puerto Rico from January 2024 to June 2024. Radiographs with hip fractures or surgeries affecting interpretation were excluded. HOA was diagnosed using established radiographic criteria and classified by Kellgren-Lawrence (KL) grading. Radiographic HOA was defined as a KL grade ≥2. A musculoskeletal radiologist performed all image evaluations. Bivariate analyses were performed to study the association of HOA with age, sex, and body mass index (BMI). Results: Radiographic HOA was identified in 27.0% of patients. Most patients had mild HOA based on KL scale. Grade 2 was the most common (60.5%), followed by grade 3 (23.5%). Older age and female sex were significantly associated with HOA presence, while no significant link was observed with body mass index categories. Conclusion: This study provides the first population-based prevalence of HOA in Puerto Rico with 27%
having this condition. Older age and female sex were associated with HOA. However, the study sample was limited to patients undergoing pelvic radiographs for trauma, which may not be representative of the general population. Nevertheless, the findings emphasize the considerable burden of HOA among Puerto Rican patients and highlight the need for further investigation.