In an effort to define the impairment in hips affected by
Legg-Calve-Perthes disease, we attempted to contact 112 patients whose
disease had been diagnosed between 1920 and 1940. Data were available on
thirty-five patients with thirty-seven affected hips. The average period of
follow-up was 47.7 years. Statistically significant correlations were found
between clinical outcome (as measured by the Iowa hip rating and by the
incidence of arthroplasty) and Catterall head-at-risk signs, femoral
head-size ratio, and age at onset of the disease. The measurements of
deformity, both femoral and acetabular, and the congruity of the articular
surfaces did not change significantly with time. The Catterall
classification alone did not correlate well with the clinical outcome.
Fifteen affected hips in fourteen patients had undergone hip arthroplasty
because of pain and dysfunction. Eleven arthroplasties had been done in the
fifth or sixth decade of life and four (three patients), in the third or
fourth decade.