Is Osteonecrosis Associated with HIV?

Osteonecrosis of the femoral head is associated with many medical conditions, including chronic corticosteroid use and alcohol abuse, and some small case series have suggested that HIV infection might also increase the risk for this condition. However, neither its prevalence in HIV-infected individuals nor associated risk factors have been described. In this prospective, cross-sectional study, 339 HIV-infected adults (92% male) without hip or groin pain and 118 age- and sex-matched HIV-negative volunteers completed a questionnaire and underwent MRI screening of the hip.

Fifteen HIV-infected patients (4.4%) had MRI findings consistent with osteonecrosis of the femoral head, 6 with bilateral involvement and 9 with unilateral disease. No patien…