Is There an Association between the Familial Form of Generalized Joint Hypermobility and Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip in Children?

Abstract

Background and Objectives: This study aimed to examine the association between the familial generalized joint hypermobility (GJH) and developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) in children. Materials and Methods: All infants and children included in this case (with DDH)–control study were examined for features of GJH by the revised Beighton's Test Scale (BTS), provided that they had no teratogenic or pathological causes of DDH or GJH. Results: Two hundred and eight participants were included in this study: 101 (48.6%) cases and 107 (51.4%) controls; age mean 16.57 [standard deviation (SD) 18.1] months; 61.1% (127) females and 38.9% (81) males. The odds ratio was 2.1 (95% confidence interval 1.197–3.679). The cases had a higher value of BTS score (mean = 4.7, SD = 3.015) when compared with the controls (mean = 3.42, SD = 3.448). The difference was statistically significant, but the correlation coefficient (r) between the study groups and BTS scores was weak (r = 0.194, P = 0.005). The correlation gained slight improvement by justification of the age to obtain homogeneity between the groups (r = 0.276, P < 0.001), but deteriorated and lost its significance when the sex was controlled as a confounder (r = 0.121, P = 0.082). There was a gradual increase in the mean BTS score from grade 1 to grade 4 of DDH but without a statistically significant value (r = 0,132, P = 0.128). Conclusion: The familial GJH has a weak positive correlation with DDH but cannot be considered as a possible risk factor for it.