To compare the morphology of the distal femur between Caucasian and Japanese women.
30 Caucasian women aged 41 to 84 (mean, 67) years and 70 Japanese women aged 54 to 86 (mean, 70) years who underwent total knee arthroplasty for osteoarthritis were randomly selected. Morphologic measurements of the distal femur were compared using lateral radiographs. Both race and height influenced the morphology. To adjust for the influence of height on morphology, each measurement was divided by the patient's height and the ratios were compared.
Caucasian women were generally taller and heavier (p<0.001) and had higher body mass index (p=0.03) than the Japanese women. Each morphologic measurement of the distal femur was significantly longer in the Caucasian women. In both groups, anteroposterior width of the condyle correlated more with height than weight. In women of equal height, the anteroposterior and metaphyseal widths of the femur and the anterior and resected condyles were longer in Caucasian women, but the posterior condyle was longer in Japanese women.
Both the size of the femur and the anterior and posterior condyles are significantly larger in Caucasian than Japanese women.