T. Riebel et al., PROGNOSTIC RELIABILITY OF CLINICAL, ANAMN ESTIC AND SONOGRAPHIC RISK-FACTORS FOR THE COURSE OF PRIMARILY PHYSIOLOGICAL HIPS (TYPE-I AND IIA), Monatsschrift fur Kinderheilkunde, 143(4), 1995, pp. 358-364
Aim of study: To rule out the prognostic reliability of neonatal clini
cal and anamnestic data for later developing hip pathology. Methods: F
rom a large hip screening program the remarks on so called risk factor
s as well as the initial ultrasound findings (following Graf's method)
of 8824 non-selected neonates were collected retrospectively. Additio
nal sonographic repeat exams of initial type IIa and type I hips were
available in 781 of these patients (most of the normal hips were the c
ontralateral side of a ''physiologically immature'' joint). These sono
graphic follow-up examinations were analysed and related to the primar
y findings. Results: By means of extensive statistical work-up, only 3
factors were found to be of value for the follow-up prognosis of prim
ary type IIa hips which already in the neonate might indicate a forthc
oming risk: female sex, angle ''alpha'' < 55 degrees, and a sonographi
c ''elastic hip joint''. Conclusions: Since several IIa hips without t
hese 3 factors did not mature normally, and even some normal type I hi
ps later on developed pathologically it does not seem safe enough or p
ossible to select only a certain subgroup for sonographic controls in
order to recognize a given risk in time.