Background Hip osteoarthritis is a condition with a long-term evolution, symptoms evolving throughout many years, in the elderly individuals becoming increasingly common and with increasingly higher disabling potential. It’s prevalence is expected to increase in our country as well as in other European countries, due to aging of population (1). Affected individuals become functionally limited and disabled and encounter difficulties in performing activities of daily living. Often older individuals suffer from several chronic diseases. Previous studies reported coexistence of osteoarthritis with many categories of comorbidities, of which cardiac diseases or diabetes were frequently encountered(2,3)

Objectives This study aimed to evaluate quality of life and to record associated osteoarticular disorders found in hip osteoarthritis cases.

Methods We performed an observational study on a group of 255 patients, age 59,63±10,63years, with the diagnosis of hip osteoarthritis selected from the patients hospitalized in the Clinical Hospital for Medical Rehabilitation Baile Felix, Romania, between October 2009 - June 2011. We used CIRS index for assessing comorbidities and the observational, standardized, validatedMOS SF-36test for quality of life.One evaluation at admission in the hospital was performed.

Results 95.83% of the patients had at least one associated disease (CIRS≥1). 84% patients had at least one moderate or severe associated disease (CIRS≥2). Osteoporosis was confirmed in 33.3% of the patients. Other affected joints were found in 68.75% of all patients, of these 52.52% were women. The other joints most commonly affected were spinal column joints (66.66%) (of which spondylosis was found in 55.55% of all patients), followed by osteoarthritis with multiple locations (17.17%) and knee osteoarthritis (11.11%). In women the joints most commonly affected were spinal column joints (41.02%), knee joint (12.82%), followed by more than 3 affected joints in 10.25% of women. Most frequently in males, spinal joints were affected (51.51%), followed by more than 3 joints affected (13.63%), and knee joint in 3.03% of male cases.Mean value of MOS-SF-36 was 45±26,41

Conclusions Functional impact of comorbidities has led to worsening of functional status, already reduced by the degenerative hip disease.

Patients with hip osteoarthritis often have associated degenerative disease of the neighboring joints, but osteoporosis also has an increased incidence.

Pain, limping and restrictions of occupational activities and associated diseases impair quality of life.

1. van Dijk GM, Veenhof C, Schellevis F, Hulsmans H, Bakker JP, Arwert H, et al. Comorbidity, limitations in activities and pain in patients with osteoarthritis of the hip or knee. BMC Musculoskelet Disord 2008; 9: 95

2. Reeuwijk KG, de Rooij M, van Dijk GM, Veenhof C, Steultjens MP, Dekker J: Osteoarthritis of the hip or knee: which coexisting disorders are disabling? Clin Rheumatol 2010; 29: 739-747

3. van Dijk GM, Veenhof C, Spreeuwenberg P, Coene N, Burger BJ, van Schaardenburg D et al. Prognosis of limitations in activities in osteoarthritis of the hip or knee: a 3-year cohort study. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 20

Disclosure of Interest None Declared