Os acromiale: prevalence and associated patient-related factors—a population-based study of three thousand and fifty participants

PURPOSE: The presence of os acromiale is of clinical relevance before performing shoulder surgery but ethnic differences and little information regarding associated factors seem to be present. Population-based studies to clarify these topics are essential so the purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence, anatomy, and associations of os acromiale in a general adult population. METHODS: Both shoulders of 3050 participants from the population-based Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP) were assessed on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Associations with the os acromiale were calculated for sex, age, body height, body weight, and heavy mechanical oscillations on the upper extremity. RESULTS: In total, 1.9% (58/3050) had an os acromiale, while 21 were unilateral left, 23 were unilateral right, and 14 were bilateral. Sixty-eight meso-acromions, three pre-acromions, and one meta-acromion were detected. Os acromiale were more frequent in men (right side: p = 0.037, left side: p = 0.005). Overall, no differences in sides (p = 0.808), to participants’ age (right: p = 0.993, left: p = 0.499), body height (right side: p = 0.241, left side: p = 0.154), and the exposure to heavy mechanical oscillations on the upper extremity (right: p = 0.054, left: p = 0.117) were detected. CONCLUSION: Our results support the genetic theory for the aetiology of the os acromiale due to the lower prevalence of the os acromiale in north-eastern Germany compared to the worldwide prevalence (1.9 to 7%) and the lacking association to lifestyle, age, gender, or sides. Additionally, it is important to be aware of possible os acromiale before surgery.