Extended report
Shape of the intercondylar notch of the human femur: a comparison
of osteoarthritic and non-osteoarthritic bones from a skeletal sample
L Shepstonea, J Rogersb, J R Kirwanb, B W Silvermanc
a School of Health
Policy and Practice, University of East Anglia, UK, b Rheumatology Unit, University of Bristol
Division of Medicine, UK, c Department of Mathematics, University of
Bristol, UK
Correspondence to: Dr L Shepstone, School of Health Policy and Practice, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK L.Shepstone{at}uea.ac.uk
Accepted for publication 22 March 2001
OBJECTIVES
To compare
objectively the shape of the intercondylar notch in human
osteoarthritic and non-osteoarthritic femora.
METHODSA sample of 96 human femora from a large skeletal population were selected for study.
These femora included subjects with evidence of late stage
osteoarthritis (that is, with eburnation present) and subjects with
no such evidence. The distal end of the femur, viewed axially, was
recorded with a video camera, and digitised computer images were
produced. The outline of the intercondylar notch was extracted and
represented mathematically as two functions. A functional principal
components analysis was used to identify important modes of shape
variation. These variations in shape were compared between eburnated
and non-eburnated femora.
RESULTSA
statistically significant difference in the shape of the intercondylar
notch was found between the two groups. The difference related mostly
to the shape of the edge of the medial condyle: in the
non-osteoarthritic group this tended to exhibit a concavity; in the
osteoarthritic group it tended to be straight.
CONCLUSIONSThis
observed difference may be a predisposing factor to the development of
osteoarthritis. The morphology of the intercondylar notch is related to
the functioning of and possible damage to the cruciate ligaments, and
damage to the cruciate ligaments is a known risk factor for
osteoarthritis. Alternatively, this difference may be due to bony
remodelling secondary to the onset of osteoarthritis, perhaps in
response to altered biomechanics.
© 2001 by Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases
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