Multicenter Prospective Cohort Study on Current Treatments of Legg-Calvé-Perthes Disease
Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease is a childhood hip condition where the top of the thigh bone temporarily softens and breaks down. This study is collecting information from many doctors around the world about how they treat children and teenagers (aged 1 to 18) with this condition. Because the disease is not very common, getting information from many hospitals helps researchers understand it better. The study isn't testing new treatments; instead, it's looking at treatments doctors already use, such as different types of surgery or simply watching the condition closely. By following patients over several years, the study hopes to find out which treatments are most effective for different age groups at 2 and 5 years after treatment, and when the child's bones have finished growing. This will help improve future care for children with Perthes disease.
At a glance
What is this study about?
Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease is a condition that affects children's hips. In this disease, the blood supply to the ball part of the hip joint (the head of the thigh bone) is temporarily disrupted. This causes the bone to soften, break down, and eventually regrow. It mostly affects boys between 4 and 10 years old, but can occur at other ages too. While it's not super rare, it's not common enough for a single hospital to easily study all the ways it's treated.
This study is a big effort by many children's bone specialists (paediatric orthopaedic surgeons) from different hospitals in the UK, the US, and other countries. They are all working together to create a central record of children and teenagers (aged 1 to 18) with Perthes disease. For each patient, they will record details about when their condition was spotted, what treatment they received, and how they progressed over time. The goal is to see which of the current common treatments work best for different age groups — for example, if a treatment that works well for a 4-year-old child also works well for a 12-year-old.
The study isn't telling doctors what treatment to give; instead, doctors are treating their patients as they normally would, based on what they believe is best. The study is simply tracking these treatments and their results over several years. They'll look at how patients are doing after two years, five years, and when their bones have fully matured. This valuable information will help improve care and guide treatment decisions for future generations of children with Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease.
Key takeaways
- The study helps doctors understand which existing treatments for Perthes disease work best for different age groups.
- It uses information from many hospitals worldwide to get a complete picture.
- Your child will receive standard care; no new treatments are being tested.
- Participation involves sharing medical information from routine check-ups.
- The study follows children for several years to see long-term results.
- Information gathered will help improve future treatment for other children.
Who may be eligible?
To be part of this study, a child needs to have been diagnosed with Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease. They must be between 1 and 18 years old when they start participating. If a patient over 11 has a similar condition where the bone at the top of the thigh dies due to an injury or certain medications (like steroids), they might also be able to join.
However, a child cannot take part if they have already had an operation on their affected hip before joining the study.
Your child's specialist doctor will be able to confirm if they meet all the requirements for this study.
Could this study suit you?
Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.
- Has a doctor diagnosed your child with Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease?
- Is your child currently between 1 and 18 years old?
- Has your child NOT had surgery on their affected hip before this study?
- If your child is over 11, do they have a similar condition (bone death in hip) due to injury or medication?
What does participation involve?
If your child takes part in this study, it's important to understand that the study doesn't change the treatment your doctor recommends. Your child will receive the usual care your doctor believes is best for them. The main part of participating involves your doctor sharing information about your child's condition, the treatment they receive, and how well they recover over time. This information will be collected at regular check-ups that your child would typically have anyway. The study will follow your child's progress for at least two to five years, and potentially until their bones have fully grown (skeletal maturity), to see the long-term effects of their treatment. This means no extra hospital visits or extra procedures just for the study; it’s about collecting data from your child's standard care.
Potential risks and benefits
Locations (46)
- Children's Hospital of AlabamaVerified postcodeBirmingham, United States
- Children's Hospital of Los AngelesVerified postcodeLos Angeles, United States
- Kaiser Permanente HospitalVerified postcodeLos Angeles, United States
- Rady Children's Hospital CaliforniaVerified postcodeSan Diego, United States
- UCSF Benioff Children's HospitalsVerified postcodeSan Francisco, United States
- Children's Hospital ColoradoVerified postcodeAurora, United States
- Connecticut Children's Medical CenterVerified postcodeHartford, United States
- Alfred I. DuPont Hospital for Children of the Nemours FoundationVerified postcodeWilmington, United States
- Children's National Medical CenterVerified postcodeWashington D.C., United States
- Children's Orthopaedics of AtlantaVerified postcodeAtlanta, United States
- Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of ChicagoVerified postcodeChicago, United States
- Johns HopkinsVerified postcodeBaltimore, United States
Common questions
What is Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease?
It's a childhood hip condition where the top part of the thigh bone temporarily loses blood supply, leading to bone damage and then regrowth.
Will my child receive a new treatment in this study?
No, your child will receive the standard treatment that their doctor believes is best. The study is collecting information on existing treatments.
How long will my child be in the study?
The study will follow your child's progress for at least two to five years, and possibly until their bones have finished growing.
Does participating mean extra hospital visits?
No, participation does not require any extra hospital visits. Information will be collected during your child’s routine check-ups.
Can I change my mind about participating?
Yes, you are free to withdraw your child from the study at any time, and their medical care will not be affected.
How to find out more
Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.
Interested in taking part?
Discussion
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