Variations in three different genes lead to failure of hip replacement

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

Success of hip replacement may be influenced by genetic variations, according to new research.
Hip replacements can restore a person's mobility. But they aren't perfect and in some cases they fail, either because the joint comes loose or because an infection sets in. A new study reveals that there may be an underlying genetic influence in the failure of hip replacement.

The researchers looked at 312 people of whom 162 had experienced hip replacement failure during the ten years after surgery. Ninety one of them had so-called aseptic loosening, where the artificial hip joint comes loose and surrounding bone starts to dissolve. The other 71 experienced a deep infection in the new hip joint.

DNA samples were taken from all the participants and three genes thought to be involved in the hip replacement complications were analyzed. These were matrix metalloproteinase 1, which breaks down collagen, interleukin 6 which is involved in bone metabolism and the immune response, and the vitamin D receptor gene. Vitamin D synthesis is important for strong healthy bones. Variations in the metalloproteinase gene were found to increase the risk of hip joint loosening while variations in the vitamin D receptor increase the risk of bone dissolution and deep infection. But variations in the interleukin 6 gene had no effect.

Source
Annals of Rheumatic Diseases online 13th March 2007

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