Evaluating the contribution of fat infiltration in anterior gluteus minimus muscle to walking ability in female with unilateral hip osteoarthritis and candidates for total hip arthroplasty

Background The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between gait and fat infiltration in anterior and posterior gluteus minimus in the patients with hip osteoarthritis. Methods Ninety-one female patients who were diagnosed as the unilateral hip osteoarthritis, classified into Kellgren-Lawrence global scoring system grades 3 or 4, and candidate for total hip arthroplasty were retrospectively reviewed. The horizontally cross-sectional regions of interest for the gluteus medius and anterior and posterior gluteus minimus were manually circumscribed in a single transaxial computed tomography image and muscle density of those regions were obtained. The gait was assessed as the step and speed with the 10-Meter Walk Test. The multiple regression analysis was used to compare the step and speed with age, height, range of motion in flexion, the muscle density of anterior gluteus minimus in the affected side, and that of gluteus medius muscle in both affected and unaffected sides. Findings Multiple regression analysis for step revealed that the muscle density of anterior gluteus minimus in the affected side and height were the independent predictors for step (R2 = 0.389, p < 0.001). That for speed identified the muscle density of anterior gluteus minimus in the affected side as the only factor determining speed (R2 = 0.287, p < 0.001). Interpretation The fatty infiltration of anterior gluteus minimus muscle in affected side can be a predictor for the gait in in female with unilateral hip osteoarthritis and candidates for total hip arthroplasty.