Effect of early postnatal body weight on femoral head ossification onset and hip osteoarthritis in a canine model of developmental dysplasia of the hip

Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) is a well-known precipitator of hip osteoarthritis. An increase in body weight during the critical early postnatal growth period may alter joint contact, and thus alter hip development and influence joint health in adulthood. The objective of this study was to determine whether early postnatal body weight affected the course of hip development and the onset of osteoarthritis in a canine model of DDH. A longitudinal study, from birth to skeletal maturity, was conducted. Serial body weight, age at femoral head ossification onset, and femoral head coverage at 4 mo were measured. Presence and severity of degeneration at 8 mo were determined using necropsy and cartilage biochemistry. There was a negative association between birth weight and age at femoral head ossification onset; however, the association was likely due to skeletal maturity level rather than body weight per se. Lower birth weight subjects had greater femoral head coverage at 4 mo. Greater birth weight was associated with greater probability of moderate degenerative changes or macroscopic lesions at 8 mo. These results support the hypothesis that increased birth weight is sufficient to alter the course of hip development and result in measurable degenerative changes at adulthood.