Sex differences in perceived expectations of the outcome of total hip and knee arthroplasties and their fulfillment: an observational cohort study.

The influence of sex on preoperative expectations and their fulfillment following total hip and knee arthroplasty (THA/TKA) remains unexplored. We investigated differences between men and women in perceived preoperative expectations on the outcome of THA/TKA and their fulfillment 1 year postoperatively. We performed a cohort study. Expectations were collected preoperatively and 1 year postoperatively using the Hospital for Special Surgery Hip/Knee Replacement Expectations Surveys (HSS-HRES/KRES; not applicable = 0, applicable: back to normal = 1, much = 2/moderate = 3/slight improvement = 4). Fulfillment of expectations was calculated by subtracting preoperative from postoperative scores (score < 0:unfulfilled; score ≥ 0:fulfilled). We included patients with "applicable" expectations. Chi-square and ordinal regression were used to compare expectations and fulfillment regarding sex. 2333 THA (62% women) and 2398 TKA (65% women) patients were included. 77% of THA and 76% of TKA patients completed the HSS-HRES/HSS-KRES both preoperatively and 1 year postoperatively. Men more often perceived items as "applicable", with differences in 9/20 (HSS-HRES) and 9/19 (HSS-KRES) preoperative items and, respectively, 12/20 (HSS-HRES) and 10/19 (HSS-KRES) postoperative items. The largest differences (> 10%) were found in sexual activity and working ability. 16/20 (HSS-HRES) and 14/19 (HSS-KRES) items showed an increased probability of having higher preoperative expectations of ≥ 10%, in favor of men. In all items, 60% of the respondents indicated that their expectation was fulfilled. Differences were observed in 16/20 (HSS-HRES) and 6/19 (HSS-KRES) items in favor of men. Sex differences were present in expectations and fulfillment, with higher applicability of items, preoperative expectations and fulfillment in men, especially on items related to functional activities.Trial registration: Trial-ID NTR3348.

Feasibility of Collecting Multiple Patient-Reported Outcome Measures Alongside the Dutch Arthroplasty Register.

BACKGROUND: Compliance rates with patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) collected alongside arthroplasty registries vary in the literature. We described the feasibility of a routinely collected set PROMs alongside the Dutch Arthroplasty Register. METHODS: The longitudinal Leiden Orthopaedics Outcomes of OsteoArthritis Study is a multicenter (7 hospitals), observational study including patients undergoing total hip or total knee arthroplasty (THA or TKA). A set of PROMs: Short Form-12, EuroQol 5 Dimensions, Hip/Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score, Oxford Hip/Knee Score was collected preoperatively and at 6, 12, 24 months, and every 2 years thereafter. Participation rates and response rates were recorded. RESULTS: Between June 2012 and December 2014, 1796 THA and 1636 TKA patients were invited, of whom 1043 THA (58%; mean age 68 years [standard deviation, SD: 10]) and 970 TKA patients (59%; mean age 71 years [SD 9.5]) participated in the study. At 6 months, 35 THA/38 TKA patients were lost to follow-up. Response rates were 90% for THA (898/1000) and 89% for TKA (827/932) participants. At 1 and 2 years, 8 and 18 THA and 17 and 11 TKA patients were lost to follow-up, respectively. The response rates among those eligible were 87% (866/992) and 84% (812/972) for THA and 84% (771/917) and 83% (756/906) for TKA patients, respectively. The 2-year questionnaire was completed by 78.5% of the included THA patients and by 77.9% of the included TKA patients. CONCLUSIONS: About 60% of patients undergoing THA or TKA complete PROMs preoperatively, with more than 80% returning follow-up PROMs. To increase the participation rates, more efforts concerning the initial recruitment of patients are needed.

The Effect of an App for Day-to-Day Postoperative Care Education on Patients With Total Knee Replacement: Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Patients who undergo primary Total Knee Replacement surgery (TKR) are often discharged within 1-3 days after surgery. With this relatively short length of hospital stay, a patient's self-management is a crucial factor in optimizing the outcome of their treatment. In the case of TKR, self-management primarily involves adequate pain management, followed by physiotherapy exercises and daily self-care activities. Patients are educated on all these topics by hospital staff upon discharge from the hospital but often struggle to comprehend this information due to its quantity, complexity, and the passive mode of communication used to convey it. OBJECTIVE: This study primarily aims to determine whether actively educating TKR patients with timely, day-to-day postoperative care information through an app could lead to a decrease in their level of pain compared to those who only receive standard information about their recovery through the app. In addition, physical functioning, quality of life, ability to perform physiotherapy exercises and daily self-care activities, satisfaction with information, perceived involvement by the hospital, and health care consumption were also assessed. METHODS: A multicenter randomized controlled trial was performed in five Dutch hospitals. In total, 213 patients who had undergone elective, primary, unilateral TKR participated. All patients had access to an app for their smartphone and tablet to guide them after discharge. The intervention group could unlock day-to-day information by entering a personal code. The control group only received weekly, basic information. Primary (level of pain) and secondary outcomes (physical functioning, quality of life, ability to perform physiotherapy exercises and activities of daily self-care, satisfaction with information, perceived involvement by the hospital, and health care consumption) were measured using self-reported online questionnaires. All outcomes were measured weekly in the four weeks after discharge, except for physical functioning and quality of life, which were measured at baseline and at four weeks after discharge. Data was analyzed using Student t tests, chi-square tests, and linear mixed models for repeated measures. RESULTS: In total, 114 patients were enrolled in the intervention group (IG) and 99 in the control group (CG). Four weeks after discharge, patients in the IG performed significantly better than patients in the CG on all dimensions of pain: pain at rest (mean 3.45 vs mean 4.59; P=.001), pain during activity (mean 3.99 vs mean 5.08; P<.001) and pain at night (mean 4.18 vs mean 5.21; P=.003). Additionally, significant differences were demonstrated in favor of the intervention group for all secondary outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: In the four weeks following TKR, the active and day-to-day education of patients via the app significantly decreased their level of pain and improved their physical functioning, quality of life, ability to perform physiotherapy exercises and activities of daily self-care, satisfaction with information, perceived involvement by the hospital, and health care consumption compared to standard patient education. Given the rising number of TKR patients and the increased emphasis on self-management, we suggest using an app with timely postoperative care education as a standard part of care. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Netherlands Trial Register NTR7182; https://www.trialregister.nl/trial/6992.

Self-reported knee instability associated with pain, activity limitations, and poorer quality of life before and 1 year after total knee arthroplasty in patients with knee osteoarthritis.

Information on the association of self-reported knee instability with clinical outcomes after Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA) and 1 year follow-up is scarce. The aims were to determine (i) the course and prevalence of self-reported knee instability before and 1 year after TKA and (ii) the associations of preoperative, postoperative, and retained self-reported knee instability with pain, activity limitations, and quality of life (QoL) in patients with knee osteoarthritis. Patients undergoing primary TKA, selected from the Longitudinal Leiden Orthopaedics and Outcomes of OsteoArthritis Study, had their knee instability measured using a questionnaire. The Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score pain, activity limitations, and QoL subscales were administered before and 1 year after surgery. Multivariable regression analyses were performed to examine associations between knee instability, pain, activity limitations, and QoL, adjusted for covariates (age, gender, comorbidities, and radiographic severity). Of the 908 included patients, 649 (71%) and 187 (21%) reported knee instability before and following TKA, respectively. Of the patients with preoperative knee instability, this perception was retained in 165 (25%) cases. Knee instability was preoperatively associated with pain (B -9.6; 95%CI: -12.4 to -6.7), activity limitations (B -7.5; 95%CI: -10.2 to -4.8), and QoL (B -4.7; 95%CI: -7.0 to -2.4) and postoperatively with pain (B -15.0; 95%CI: -18.5 to -11.6), activity limitations (B -15.1; 95%CI: -18.4 to -11.8), and QoL (B -18.7; 95%CI: -22.3 to -15.3). Retained knee instability was associated with postoperative pain (B -15.1; 95%CI: -18.9 to -11.2), activity limitations (B -14.1; 95%CI: -17.8 to -10.4), and QoL (B -18.0; 95%CI: -21.7 to -14.3). In conclusion, in clinical care, self-reported knee instability is retained postoperatively in 25% of the patients. Retained knee instability is associated with more pain, activity limitations, and poorer QoL postoperatively. © 2018 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 36:2671-2678, 2018.

Frailty in end-stage hip or knee osteoarthritis: validation of the Groningen Frailty Indicator (GFI) questionnaire.

Frailty is highly prevalent in the elderly, increasing the risk of poor health outcomes. The Groningen Frailty Indicator (GFI) is a 15-item validated questionnaire for the elderly. Its value in patients with end-stage hip or knee osteoarthritis (OA) has not yet been determined. This study assesses the validity of the GFI in this patient group. End-stage hip or knee OA patients completed the GFI (range 0-15, ≥ 4 = frail) before arthroplasty surgery. Convergent validity was determined by Spearman-rank correlation between the SF-12 physical (PCS) and mental (MCS) component scores and the physical and mental GFI-domains, respectively. Discriminant validity was assessed by means of overall GFI-score and the pain-domain of the Hip/Knee Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (HOOS/KOOS). Altogether 3275 patients were included of whom 2957 (90.3%) completed the GFI. Mean GFI-scores were 2.78 (2.41) and 2.28 (1.99) in hip and knee OA-patients, respectively, with 570 (35.9%) of hip and 344 (24.1%) of knee patients considered frail. The convergent validity was moderate to strong (physical domain R = - 0.4, mental domain R = - 0.6) and discriminant validity low (R HOOS/KOOS-pain domain = - 0.2), confirming the validity of the GFI-questionnaire in this population. With 90% of participants completing the GFI, it is a feasible and valid questionnaire to assess frailty in end-stage hip and knee OA-patients. One-third (33.3%) of the patients undergoing hip arthroplasty and a quarter (24.1%) of those undergoing knee arthroplasty are frail. Whether this is associated with worse outcomes and can thus be used as a pre-operative predictor needs to be explored.