Changes of KSR and CRP after Total Knee and Hip Arthroplasty

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To study the changes of ESR and CRP after total hip arthroplasty(THA) and total knee arthroplasty(TKA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We tested the values of ESR and CRP of total 61 patients, who received THA or TKA. The levels of ESR and CRP were compared before operation, on the 2nd, 4th post-op. Day, 1st, 2nd, 3rd week after operations. RESULTS: The peak level of ESR was reached on the 4th post-op day(70.7mm/hr) in unilateral TKA group, but on the 7th day(53.2em/hr) in bilateral group. The peak level of ESR was reached on the 4th day in unilateral THA group(71.5mm/hr), as was in bilateral group(50.6em/hr). The values of ESR were declined to the normal range until the 3rd week except 9 cases(15%). The peak level of the CRP of TKA(14.0mg/dL, 15.0mg/dL) and THA(12.7mg/dL, 17.7mg/dL) in unilateral and bilateral group were reached on the 2nd day after operations. After the peak level, the values of CRP were abruptly declined to the normal and pre-op level until the 3rd week. CONCLUSION: The highest value of the CRP revealed on the 2nd post op day in bilateral group and declined to the normal range at 2nd week. The peak value of the ESR showed on the 4th post-op day, but the peak value of the bilateral group was low and the range of increase was narrow when compared with the unilateral group. The value of CRP after post-op 2 weeks could be used as the index of normal and infection in TKA or THA.