CONTEXT: It is believed that about 25% of menopausal women in the USA will exhibit some kind of fracture as a consequence of osteoporosis. Fractures of the proximal femur are associated with a greater number of deaths and disabilities and higher medical expenses than all the other osteoporotic fractures together. OBJECTIVE: To study the clinical and epidemiological features of patients with proximal femur fracture in hospitals in São Paulo. DESIGN: Transversal and retrospective study. LOCAL: Hospital São Paulo and Hospital Servidor Público Estadual "Francisco Morato Oliveira". PARTICIPANTS: Patients aged sixty-five years or more hospitalized because of proximal femur fracture, from March to November 1996 (N = 73). This group was compared to patients of the same age without fracture of the proximal femur. INTERVENTION: Evaluation of weight, height, body mass index; lifestyle habits (physical activity at home, ingestion of dairy calcium, drinking of coffee, smoking habit), gynecological history (ages at menarche and menopause, number of pregnancies and lactations), previous morbidity, use of medications, history of previous fractures, family history of osteoporosis. MEASUREMENT: The comparison of the different data regarding lifestyle habits between the two groups was made using the chi-squared test. Other data were analyzed using the Mann -- Whitney test. P £ 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: We noted a predominance of proximal femur fracture among females in relation to males (a female/male ratio of 3.3:1) with a progressive increase in the frequency of proximal femur fracture with age in both sexes. The group with proximal femur fracture, in comparison with the control group, showed a lower body mass index, less physical activity, and a greater number of pregnancies and lactations. Other data were not different. CONCLUSION: In accordance with the literature, we found a predomination of proximal femur fracture in women in relation to men, and a favorable effect of higher body mass index and physical activity for decreasing the frequency of proximal femur fracture. We also discuss the role of pregnancies and lactation on the frequency of proximal femur fracture.

Taken together, these data support the hypothesis that transfusion of > or = 3 units of allogeneic RBCs is associated with early postoperative lymphopenia in otherwise healthy individuals undergoing surgery. These findings were not observed in those individuals transfused with RBCs that had undergone prestorage WBC reduction.

Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy of osteosynthesis on femoral neck fractures using two instead of three screws. Methods: Thirty-nine fractures were retrospectively evaluated, divided into groups in which two screws were used in parallel (n = 28) or three screws (n =11) in an inverted triangle configuration (in accordance with the AO technique). The patients were then followed up until reaching the outcome of either consolidation or failure. Results: In the group in which two screws were used, consolidation was observed in 23 of the 28 fractures (82%). In the group in which three screws were used, consolidation was observed in 6 of the 11 fractures (55%). There was no statistically significant difference between these percentages. Conclusion: There was no difference in the prognosis for these fractures when treated using two screws in parallel or three screws in an inverted triangle in accordance with the AO technique. Further studies are needed in order to establish a definitive conclusion.

High Morbid-Mortability and Reduced Level of Osteoporosis Diagnosis Among Elderly People Who Had Hip Fractures in São Paulo CityObjective: to know the morbid-mortality following an osteoporotic hip fracture in elderly patients living in são Paulo. Patients and Methods: this study evaluated prospectively all patient over 60 years admitted in 2 school-hospitals in the city of são Paulo in a following 6-month period due to a osteoporotic proximal femur fracture. All of them filled up the Health Assessment questionnaire (HAq) and had their chart reviewed. After 6 months they were re-interviewed. linear regression analysis was utilized to determine the factors related to functional ability. Results: 56 patients were included (mean age 80.7 ± 7.9 years old, 80.4% females). After the 6-month follow up the mortality rate was 23.2%. only 30% of the patients returned to their previous activities, and 11.6% became totally dependent. Factors related to worse functional ability after fracture were HAq before fracture, institutionalization after fracture and age (r 2 0.482). the diagnosis of osteoporosis was informed only by 13.9% of them, and just 11.6% received any treatment for that. Conclusion: our results showed the great impact of these fractures on mortality and in the functional ability of these patients. nevertheless, many of our physicians do not inform the patients about the diagnosis of osteoporosis and, consequently, the treatment of this condition is jeopardized.

An association between hip pain and quadratus femoris muscle abnormality on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with concurrent narrowing of the ischiofemoral space has been reported in the recent literature. This raises the possibility that the muscle damage observed is due to ischiofemoral impingement. This diagnosis has been noted in middle-aged females either with or without a history of trauma or surgery, is a rarely described feature. We report here on a 31-year-old woman who presented with non-traumatic hip pain and evidence of narrowing of the ischiofemoral space and edema in the quadratus femoris. Nonsurgical treatment was administered, which relieved her hip pain. The diagnosis of ischiofemoral impingement should be considered in female patients complaining of hip pain without any other evident cause.

Objective The overuse injuries in the hip joint occur commonly in sports practitioners and currently due to technical advances in diagnostic imaging, especially magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), are often misdiagnosed. Recently, a group of people were reported, all female, with pain and swelling in the pelvic region. T2-weighted MRI showed increased signal in the enthesis of the iliotibial band (ITB) along the lower border of the iliac tubercle. We report a case of a 34 year old woman, non-professional runner, with pain at the iliac crest with no history of trauma and whose MRI was compatible with the proximal iliotibial band syndrome.

Objetivo: avaliar a capacidade funcional da articulação do quadril e a qualidade de vida de pacientes portadores de osteoartrose submetidos à artroplastia total. Métodos: foram avaliados 12 pacientes através do questionário Harris Hip Score (modificado/ escala de 0-95 pontos) e goniometria no pré e pós-operatório de artroplastia total de quadril. Resultados: a amplitude de movimento mostrou-se incompleta em todos os arcos de movimento no pré-operatório. No pós-operatório os valores aumentaram significativamente na flexão (p=0,007), extensão (p=0,02), abdução (p=0,001), rotação medial (p=0,0002) e lateral (p=0,01), apenas o aumento do movimento de adução de quadril não foi significativo (p=0,08). A medida do escore obtido através do questionário no pré-operatório foi 39,7 pontos e no pósoperatório 74,1 pontos (P<0,000001). Conclusões: a artroplastia total do quadril proporciona ao paciente alívio da dor, melhora na realização das atividades da vida diária e aumento da amplitude do movimento articular do quadril. Os pacientes, porém, relatam medo e insegurança na realização dessas atividades.

OBJETIVOS: Avaliar a função e a qualidade de vida dos pacientes pós-artroplastia de Girdlestone e comparar os resultados entre os grupos Girdlestone unilateral e o grupo com prótese total de quadril contralateral. MÉTODOS: estudo transversal no qual foram avaliados 9 pacientes com Girdlestone unilateral e 3 com Girdlestone em um quadril e prótese total no quadril contralateral. A avaliação constitui-se em aplicar o questionário genérico de qualidade de vida SF-36 e um questionário funcional específico para o quadril, Harris Hip Score (HHS). A comparação dos grupos foi realizada usando-se o teste t- Student e o teste de Fisher. RESULTADOS: Os pacientes do grupo Girdlestone unilateral apresentaram maior quantidade de domínios do SF-36 classificados como elevados, embora 77,8% destes tenham obtido resultados ruins no HHS. Todos os pacientes apresentaram o teste de Trendelenburg positivo e discrepância de membros, o que levou à marcha claudicante em 11 dos 12 pacientes avaliados. Destes, apenas 6 submeteram-se a fisioterapia pós-operatória. CONCLUSÃO: A qualidade de vida e a função pós-operatória de Girdlestone, na população brasileira, ainda necessita ser mais pesquisada, pois estes resultados são indicações do comportamento das variáveis de estudo e não podem ser consideradas encerradas.