Predictors of the need for total hip replacement in patients with osteoarthritis of the hip.

Rationale: the natural history and risk factors for hip osteoarthritis are still unknown.

Objective: to identify factors predicting a need for total hip replacement at some time during the course of hip osteoarthritis.

Patients And Methods: outpatients evaluated between 1981 and 1986 for hip osteoarthritis were studied retrospectively.

[Physiology of tendon and physiopathology of tendinitis].

Despite the histological knowledge acquired from light and electron microscopy and the deeper studies devoted to the composition of tendons, we are still unable to draw practical conclusions concerning the treatment of tendinitis. Experimental in vivo studies and biochemical studies are still too far from physiological conditions to be useful in the traumatology of tendons. They have, however, the merit to provide better theoretical basis and to persuade doctors specialized in sport not to disregard these date.

[Therapeutic approach in the rehabilitation of chronic lower back pain. Comparative study of 3 techniques of lumbar reeducation].

The short-term therapeutic effect of 3 techniques of rehabilitation of the lumbar spine (cyphosis gymnastics, kinebalneotherapy and differenciated rehabilitation) was studied out of 87 chronic lumbalgias selected at random and using one of the three techniques administered by 3 physical therapists. A comparison of these 9 couples (technique, technician) was based on criteria evaluated on a blind basis using the traditional unidimensional analysis and also multidimensional analysis. The cyphosis gymnastic reeducation gives less satisfactory results using 26 criteria out of 27.

[The patella and the femoro-patellar joint during rheumatoid polyarthritis].

The authors report 2 series of cases of rheumatoid arthritis, one prospective of 115 cases, the other retrospective of 72 cases, and note the frequency of clinical and radiological patellar and femoro-patellar involvement during this disease. Signs of active rheumatoid disease in the patella were present in 31 cases. The most common lesions of the femoro-patellar joint space are narrowing and lateral dislocation of the patella.