EFFECTS OF HIP FLEXION CONTRACTURE ON SAGITTAL SPINOPELVIC PARAMETERS.

Objective: To assess the influence of hip flexion contracture on lumbar lordosis and spinopelvic parameters and the changes in these parameters after total hip arthroplasty (THA).

Methods: Twenty adult patients with hip osteoarthritis were divided into two groups (ten patients with hip flexion contracture and ten without contracture). Patients were assessed preoperatively and six months after THA using the radiographic parameters sagittal vertical axis (SVA), lumbar lordosis (LL), pelvic incidence (PI), sacral slope (SS), and pelvic tilt (PT).

Vascular endothelial growth factor gene variations as a risk predictor in disc degeneration.

Objective: To evaluate the frequency of polymorphisms in the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene, as well as to identify a potential risk haplotype among the polymorphic regions in this gene in patients with disc degeneration and in the Control Group.

Methods: This study analyzed a total of 217 individuals distributed into the Disc Degeneration and Control Groups. Peripheral blood was collected from all patients to detect VEGF gene polymorphisms identified by qPCR (rs699947, rs1570360, rs2010963, rs833061 and rs3025039).