Weightbearing and Activity Restriction Treatments and Quality of Life in Patients with Perthes Disease

Epidemiology, natural evolution, pathogenesis, clinical spectrum, and management of Legg-Calvé-Perthes

Background

Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease is a self-limiting disorder that develops in children following interruption of the blood supply to the capital femoral epiphysis. This review outlines the current knowledge on the epidemiology, natural evolution, clinical spectrum, and management of the disease.

Methods

The literature pertaining to these aspects of the disease were studied and summarized in this review.

Results

Epidemiological studies suggest that environmental factors contribute to the causation of the disease. Incidence rates monitored over time indicate that the incidence of Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease is declining. The natural evolution followed on sequential plain radiographs enables division of the disease into Stages Ia, Ib, IIa, IIb, IIIa, IIIb, and IV. Reversible deformation of the capital occurs in Stages Ia-IIa simply on standing while irreversible deformation may occur in Stages IIb and IIIa. Treatment of Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease in Stages Ia-IIa aims to prevent the femoral head from getting deformed by containment and avoidance of weight-bearing. In Stages IIb and IIIa, treatment aims to remedy the effects of early irreversible deformation of the femoral head. In Stage IIIb and IV, treatment is directed to correcting the altered shape of the femoral head. The impression that these treatment methods are helpful is based on poor quality evidence.

Conclusion

There is an urgent need to undertake Level I studies to establish the efficacy of currently treatment.

Level of evidence

level V.

Long-Term Outcomes at Skeletal Maturity of Combined Pelvic and Femoral Osteotomy for the Treatment of Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease

Surgical treatment for Legg-Calve-Perthes disease (LCPD) is recommended for older children with moderate to severe disease. We sought to determine whether double osteotomies lead to improved radiologic outcomes compared to reported non-operative outcomes. Patients older than 6 years of age diagnosed with LCPD lateral pillar B or C who were treated with pelvic and femoral osteotomies were included. Radiologic outcomes and leg-length discrepancies were assessed using the Stulberg classification and were compared with the current literature. Fifteen hips in fourteen patients were treated with double osteotomy for LCPD, and seven had lateral pillar C disease (47%). The mean age at surgery was 8.6 years (range, 7.2-10.4) and the mean age at follow-up was 20.2 years (range, 14.2-35.6). At a mean 11.6-year follow-up (range: 6.3-25.2), double osteotomy resulted in 40% of patients having Stulberg I/II scores, 27% having Stulberg III scores, and 33% having Stulberg IV/V scores. The mean leg-length discrepancy was 1.4 cm in lateral pillar C patients compared to 0.8 cm in lateral pillar B patients. Four patients underwent additional surgeries, including two who required total hip arthroplasty. Double osteotomy as an alternative surgical procedure for the treatment of LCPD did not show improved outcomes when compared to historic non-operative cohorts.

Recommendations for physiotherapy and physical activity for children with Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease: a survey of pediatric orthopedic surgeons and physiotherapists in Sweden

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Physiotherapy, restrictions of physical activity, and weightbearing are part of the treatment of children with Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease (LCPD). Prescription practices are widely discussed and vary between pediatric orthopedic surgeons (POSs) and physiotherapists (PTs). The purpose of this study was to identify recommendations for treatment methods in clinical practice to find some consensus and elaborate guidelines.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A web-based questionnaire including 3 cases of LCPD (initial, fragmentation, and reossification stages) was answered by 25 POSs and 19 PTs. They were asked to describe their preferred recommendations for physiotherapy, including stretching, strengthening, weightbearing, and physical activities in relation to, e.g., range of motion (ROM) pain, sex, and disease stage.

RESULTS

ROM was considered to be important when recommending physiotherapy; PTs also recognized pain and disease stage. Sex was reported as a factor with low importance. Stretching exercises were recommended for all disease stages. Recommendations for strengthening exercises varied for the initial and fragmentation stages. None of the participants recommended total non-weightbearing. Most restricted trampolining, running, ball sports, and gymnastics in the first 2 stages of the disease and allowed swimming, short walks, cycling, and horse riding without restrictions for all stages.

CONCLUSION

We found high agreement on recommending stretching exercises for all disease stages, but controversies regarding recommendations for strengthening exercises in the initial and fragmentation stages. No non-weightbearing treatment for the affected hip was recommended by any participants at any stage of the disease. There was no clear consensus regarding the appropriate timeline for resuming full activities.

Patient Adherence to Wide Abduction Brace Treatment for Legg-Calvé-Perthes Disease

BACKGROUND

A wide abduction brace called the A-frame brace is used to contain the deformed femoral head and improve femoral head remodeling in patients with Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease (LCPD). While there is some data showing the efficacy of brace treatment, little is known about patient adherence. The purpose of this study was to measure A-frame brace adherence using temperature sensors and to identify factors that influence adherence.

METHODS

This is an IRB-approved retrospective study of 61 patients with LCPD treated with an A-frame brace between ages 5 and 11. Brace wear was measured using built-in temperature sensors. Pearson correlation coefficient and multiple regression were used to determine relationships between patient characteristics and brace adherence.

RESULTS

Of 61 patients, 80% were male. Mean age at LCPD onset was 5.9±1.8 years and the mean age at initiation of brace treatment was 7.1±1.5 years. Fifty-eight patients (95%) were in the fragmentation or reossification stage at the start of bracing, with 23 patients (38%) having lateral pillar B, 7 (11%) lateral pillar B/C, and 31 (51%) lateral pillar C. Forty-two (69%) patients were treated with a Petrie cast for 6 weeks before the A-frame brace. Mean adherence, defined as the ratio of measured over prescribed brace wear, was 0.69±0.32. Mean adherence improved with age (P<0.05), increasing from 0.57 in patients less than 6 to 0.84 in patients aged 8 to 11. Patients first treated with a Petrie cast had significantly better adherence than those without (0.77 vs. 0.50; P<0.005). Adherence was negatively associated with the amount of prescribed brace wear per day (P<0.005). Adherence did not change significantly between the start and end of treatment and was not significantly associated with sex or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

CONCLUSIONS

A-frame brace adherence was significantly associated with age at treatment, prior Petrie casting, and the amount of daily prescribed brace wear. These findings provide new insight into A-frame brace treatment, which will lead to better patient selection and counseling to optimize adherence.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

III Therapeutic Study.

Does Prolonged Weight Relief Increase the Chances of a Favourable Outcome After Containment for Perthes Disease?

We have been treating children with Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease (LCPD) with a femoral varus osteotomy (PFVO) and weight relief till the disease evolves to the latter part of the stage of reconstitution (Stage IIIb). This entails weight relief for 18 to 24 months. We undertook this case-control study to test if a shorter period of weight relief would compromise the chance of retaining the spherical shape of the femoral head when the disease healed. Forty-one children diagnosed in the early stages of LCPD (Stages Ia, Ib, and IIa), were treated by PFVO and non-weight-bearing for a period of 6 months following surgery (6m group). Eighty-two children with LCPD matched for age, sex, and stage at surgery, who resumed weight-bearing only once they reached Stage IIIb, served as the control group (3b group). Both groups were followed up till the disease healed. The sphericity deviation score was calculated, and the height and width of the epiphysis were measured on the first radiograph designated as Stage IV. The median sphericity deviation score value at healing was 3 in the 3b group and 11 in the 6m group (P<0.001). The frequency of spherical heads was 76% in the 3b group and 49% in the 6m group (P<0.003). The Odds Ratio of the disease healing with an aspherical head in 6-month group was 3.05 (CI: 1.28 to 7.22) compared with the 3b group. The percentage increase in width of the femoral epiphysis at healing was greater in the 6 group (111.5±8.5% vs. 106.5±7.2%; P<0.001). The study confirms that containment by PFVO performed early in the course of LCPD combined with weight relief till the disease has evolved to Stage IIIb is likely to result in spherical hips in 75% of children. Reducing the period of weight relief to 6 months may yield significantly poorer results with only 49% spherical femoral heads.

PROMIS Utilization in Pediatric Orthopaedics: A Scoping Review

BACKGROUND

The lack of a common patient-reported outcome metric used among the orthopaedic population is a problem that has been previously identified by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. The Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) was developed by the National Institute of Health with the goal of creating a precise and efficient measurement tool for patient-reported symptoms, functioning, and health-related quality of life to be used in clinical research. A study summarizing its use in the pediatric orthopaedic population has not been previously performed.

METHODS

We performed a literature search of Ovid Medline, Embase, Scopus, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials from 2010 to August 2021. There were 1961 unique citations included after the removal of 1756 duplicates. After initial screening, 183 studies were screened under full-text review leaving a final number of 51 studies included in this scoping review.

RESULTS

Pediatric PROMIS studies were grouped by body part or sub-speciality: "Hand and Upper Extremity" (25.5%, n=13), "Sports" (23.5%, n=12), "Spine" (13.7%, n=7), "Trauma" (13.7%, n=7), "General Pediatric Orthopaedics" (11.8%, n=6), "Lower Extremity" (9.8%, n=5), and "Orthopaedic Oncology" (2%, n=1). An increase in studies utilizing PROMIS was seen throughout the study period with only 3 studies published from 2013 to 2016 to 39 in 2020 and 2021 alone. The 3 most frequently used pediatric PROMIS domains were Pain Interference (76.5%, n=39/51), Mobility (60.8%, n=31/51), and Upper Extremity (54.9%, n=28/51). 64.3% (n=9/14) of the included studies which reported on the floor effects of Pain Interference exhibited a significant floor effect. In all, 77.8% (n=7/9) of the included studies which reported on ceiling effects of Upper Extremity exhibited a significant ceiling effect.

CONCLUSION

The use of PROMIS increased significantly since the first publication in 2013 suggesting orthopaedic providers have increasingly utilized PROMIS in their day-to-day practice as an outcome measure. Ceiling and floor effects were prominent in several of the included domains (Pain Interference and Upper Extremity). Overall, PROMIS measures are efficient, reliable, and effective to use.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

IV.

Moderate Weightbearing Restrictions Are Associated with Worse Depressive Symptoms and Anxiety in Children Aged 5 to 7 Years with Perthes Disease

BACKGROUND

Perthes disease most commonly affects children 5 to 7 years old, and nonoperative management, such as weightbearing and activity restrictions, is generally recommended. In earlier research in children aged 8 to 14 years who had Perthes disease, we found that the restrictions were associated with worse mobility, but mental health or social health measures were not linked. However, Perthes disease most commonly affects children 5 to 7 years old who are more emotionally and cognitively immature. Children in this age group are beginning school and organized sports experiences while developing meaningful social relationships for the first time. Because of such different life experiences, it is important to understand the psychosocial consequences of weightbearing and activity restrictions on this specific age group, as they may help guide choices about weightbearing restrictions and mental health support.

QUESTIONS/PURPOSES

In patients aged 5 to 7 years with Perthes disease, we asked: (1) Are weightbearing and activity restrictions associated with worse mental health, evaluated with the Patient-reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS) depressive symptoms, anxiety, and anger questionnaires? (2) Are weightbearing and activity restrictions associated with worse social health (PROMIS peer relationships measure)? (3) Are weightbearing and activity restrictions associated with worse physical health measures (PROMIS mobility, pain interference, and fatigue measures)? (4) What other factors are associated with mental, social, and physical health measures in these patients?

METHODS

Data were collected from 97 patients with a diagnosis of Perthes disease. Inclusion criteria were age 5 to 7 years at the time the PROMIS was completed, English-speaking patients and parents, in the active stage of Perthes disease (Waldenstrom Stages I, II, or III) who were recommended weightbearing and activity restrictions because of worsening hip pain, poor hip ROM, femoral head deformity, as a postoperative regimen, or if there was substantial femoral head involvement on MRI [23]. Based on their weightbearing and activity restriction regimen, patients were categorized into one of four activity restriction groups (no, mild, moderate, and severe restriction). The following pediatric parent-proxy PROMIS measures were obtained: depressive symptoms, anxiety, anger, peer relationships, mobility, pain interference, and fatigue. We excluded five patients who did not meet the inclusion criteria. Of the remaining 92 patients, 21 were in the no restriction group, 21 were in the mild restriction group, 28 were in the moderate restriction group, and 22 were in the severe restriction group at the time of PROMIS administration. ANOVA was used to compare differences between the mean PROMIS T-scores of these four groups. T-scores are computed from PROMIS survey responses, and a T-score of 50 represents the age-appropriate mean of the US population with an SD of 10. A higher T-score means more of that measure is being experienced and a lower score means less of that measure is being experienced. To address the possibility of confounding variables such as Waldenstrom stage, gender, age at diagnosis, and history of major surgery, we performed a multivariable analysis to compare the association of different weightbearing regimens and the seven PROMIS measures. This allowed us to answer the question of whether weightbearing and activity restrictions are associated with worse physical, mental, and social health measures in Perthes patients aged 5 to 7 years, while minimizing the possible confounding of the variables listed above.

RESULTS

After controlling for confounding variables such as Waldenstrom stage, gender, age at diagnosis, and history of major surgery, we found that moderate activity restriction was associated with worse depressive symptoms (β regression coefficient = 6 [95% CI 0.3 to 12]; p = 0.04) and anxiety (β = 8 [95% CI 1 to 15]; p = 0.02) T-scores than no restrictions. The mild (β = -7 [95% CI -12 to -1]; p = 0.02), moderate (β = -15 [95% CI -20 to -10]; p < 0.001), and severe (β = -23 [95% CI -28 to -18]; p < 0.001), restriction groups had worse mobility T-scores than the no restriction group. Weightbearing and activity restrictions were not associated with anger, peer relationships, pain interference, and fatigue measures. Waldenstrom Stage II disease was associated with worse pain interference than Waldenstrom Stage III (β = 7 [95% CI 0.4 to 13]; p = 0.04). A history of major surgery was associated with worse anger scores (β = 18 [95% CI 3 to 33]; p = 0.02). The child's gender and age at diagnosis had no association with any of the seven PROMIS measures.

CONCLUSION

Moderate weightbearing and activity restrictions are associated with worse depressive symptoms and anxiety in patients with Perthes disease aged 5 to 7 years, after controlling for Waldenstrom stage, gender, age at the time of diagnosis, and history of surgery. Considering the discoveries in this study and in our previous study, for patients 5 to 7 years old, we recommend that providers discuss the potential for mental health changes with moderate weightbearing restrictions with patients and their families. Furthermore, providers should monitor for worsening mental health symptoms at each follow-up visit and refer patients to a clinical child psychologist for support when appropriate. Future studies are needed to assess the effects of these restrictions on mental health over time and after patients are allowed to return to normal activities.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level III, therapeutic study.