Total hip arthroplasty in the treatment of degenerative disorders in rural and urban patients - A retrospective, randomised and controlled study.

INTRODUCTION Farming is hard work which may lead to overstrain and osteoarthritis of the hip and knee. Hip osteoarthritis has been rarely discussed in the Polish literature. OBJECTIVE The objective of the study was to determine the differences in hip osteoarthritis in urban and rural patients. The differences concern: prevalence, etiology, degree of degeneration and time spent in hospital. MATERIALS AND METHOD Hospital records of 200 patients were analysed who were divided into 2 groups. Group A consisted of 79 rural patients: 39 males (49.4%) and 40 females (50.6%), mean age 66.09 (±9.48), mean BMI - 27.26 (±4.47). Group B consisted of 121 urban patients: 51 males (42.1%), and 70 females (57.9%), mean age 67.74 (±8.88); mean BMI - 27.33 (±4.21). RESULTS There were no differences observed regarding hospitalization times, but statistically significant differences were noted concerning the causes of osteoarthritis in both the rural and urban patients. No statistically significant differences were found between the types of prosthetic implants. CONCLUSIONS 1) There are no differences between rural and urban patients who received surgical treatment for hip osteoarthritis, although more patients operated upon were urban patients. 2) The degree of hip degeneration was greater in rural patients.