title: Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease in patients under 5 years of age does not always result in a good outcome. Personal experience and meta-analysis of the literature.
abstract: This study attempted to analyze objectively the long-standing impression that children under 5 years of age, who have Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease, generally do well. Thirty patients, with 36 hips and onset of disease prior to their fifth birthday were reviewed at skeletal maturity. More than 50% of the hips were classified in Catterall group 3 or 4, and Herring group C. The end evaluation by the Stulberg classification showed 44.5% good, 22.2% fair and 33.3% poor results. By the Mose rating the results were respectively 27.8% good, 30.6% fair and 41.6% poor.A meta-analysis of the literature showed a very broad spectrum of results, leading to the conclusion, first, that comparison is difficult and, second, that young age is not a free ticket to a good result.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University Hospital Pellenberg, Lubbeek, Belgium.
authors.forename: Kristof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fabry
authors.forename: Guy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fabry
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Moens
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007873:Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease / Q000145:classification* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D011859:Radiography; D016896:Treatment Outcome