To evaluate whether women have more advanced osteoarthritis (OA) than men prior to total hip arthroplasty (THA).
Preoperative clinical and radiographic severity of hip OA was determined among Olmsted County, Minnesota residents who underwent THA. The time from first radiographic changes and first symptoms to THA was compared between genders.
Fifty men and 80 women underwent their first THA between 1985 and 1990. Men had higher disease activity levels preoperatively; however, 16 other clinical severity variables and 2 summary measures of OA severity were similar for both genders. Men had radiographically more advanced hip OA preoperatively. The time from first symptom of hip OA to THA was similar for both genders, while the time from first radiographic change to THA was significantly longer for men.
These results fail to support the hypothesis that hip OA prior to THA is more severe among women compared with men.