在国际上患病率差异很大;最近19 年来,该病在英国社会经济地位低的人群中患病率可能已经降低。[1]Perry DC, Bruce CE, Pope D, et al. Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease in the UK: geographic and temporal trends in incidence reflecting differences in degree of deprivation in childhood. Arthritis Rheum. 2012;64:1673-1679.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22143958?tool=bestpractice.com[2]Margetts BM, Perry CA, Taylor JF, et al. The incidence and distribution of Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease in Liverpool, 1982-95. Arch Dis Child. 2001;84:351-354.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11259241?tool=bestpractice.com[3]Barker DJ, Dixon E, Taylor JF. Perthes' disease of the hip in three regions in England. J Bone Joint Surg Br. 1978;60-B:478-480.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/711792?tool=bestpractice.com[4]Mullan CJ, Thompson LJ, Cosgrove AP. The declining incidence of Legg-Calve-Perthes' disease in Northern Ireland: an epidemiological study. J Pediatr Orthop. 2017 Apr/May;37(3):e178-82.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27328117?tool=bestpractice.com尚不清楚在英国以外的国家这一趋势是否明显。
在国际上看,人种、纬度是这一疾病患病率的一个独立影响因素。尽管没有准确的患病率研究,这一疾病在黑人中确实非常少见。患病率研究显示,南亚人的患病率是东亚人的 3 倍,而白人则是东亚人的 9 倍。纬度越靠北的地区患病率越高,这与人种因素无关。[5]Perry DC, Machin DM, Pope D, et al. Racial and geographic factors in the incidence of Legg-Calvé-Perthes' disease: a systematic review. Am J Epidemiol. 2012;175:159-166.http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/content/175/3/159.longhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22223709?tool=bestpractice.com
通常情况,Perthes 病的发病年龄主要在 4-8 岁之间,平均年龄为 7 岁,但是它可以累及 2-12 岁年龄段内的儿童。男性的患病率是女性的约 4 到 5 倍。约 10%12% 的 Perthes 病患者为双侧受累。[6]Hall AJ, Barker DJ. The age distribution of Legg-Perthes disease. An analysis using Sartwell's incubation period model. Am J Epidemiol. 1984;120:531-536.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6475922?tool=bestpractice.com