A retrospective radiographic review of hemophilic shoulder arthropathy

Bleeding into large joints is the most common orthopaedic manifestation of hemophilia. Involvement of the shoulder rarely is reported, lending to its relative neglect in the orthopaedic literature. Through retrospective chart and radiographic reviews, the incidence and progression of radiographic and clinical changes that occur in the shoulder of patients with hemophilia is described. We retrospectively reviewed 822 patient charts and found 93 patients with symptomatic shoulders. Seventy-nine of these 93 patients were rated according to Pettersson's scoring method. The clinical charts were reviewed for the presence of shoulder symptoms and dysfunction. A spectrum of radiographic changes was seen beginning with mild subchondral irregularity and greater tuberosity cyst formation progressing to joint space narrowing, osteophyte formation, marginal erosion, and deformity. Of the 54 patients for whom an adequate shoulder history was available, the severity of symptoms correlated with the Pettersson score. The current study is the largest to date examining the type and progression of radiographic changes caused by hemophilic shoulder arthropathy. We observed a consistent pattern of radiographic changes, the severity of which correlated directly with shoulder symptoms.