PROGNOSTIC RELIABILITY OF CLINICAL, ANAMN ESTIC AND SONOGRAPHIC RISK-FACTORS FOR THE COURSE OF PRIMARILY PHYSIOLOGICAL HIPS (TYPE-I AND IIA)

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.