Decline in Health-Related Quality of Life reported by more than half of those waiting for joint replacement surgery: a prospective cohort study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In many healthcare systems, people with severe joint disease wait months to years for joint replacement surgery. There are little empirical data on the health consequences of this delay and it is unclear whether people with substantial morbidity at entry to the waiting list continue to deteriorate further while awaiting surgery. This study investigated changes in Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL), health status and psychological distress among people waiting for total hip (THR) and knee replacement (TKR) surgery at a major metropolitan Australian public hospital.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>134 patients completed questionnaires including the Assessment of Quality of Life (AQoL) instrument, Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) and Kessler Psychological Distress Scale after entering an orthopaedic waiting list (baseline) and before surgery (preadmission). To quantify potential decline in wellbeing, we calculated the proportion of people experiencing clinically important deterioration using published guidelines and compared HRQoL and psychological distress outcomes with population norms.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Most participants (69%) waited ≥6 months for surgery (median 286 days, IQR 169-375 days). Despite poor physical and psychological wellbeing at baseline, there was an overall deterioration in HRQoL during the waiting period (mean AQoL change -0.04, 95%CI -0.08 to -0.01), with 53% of participants experiencing decline in HRQoL (≥0.04 AQoL units). HRQoL prior to surgery remained substantially lower than Australian population norms (mean sample AQoL 0.37, 95%CI 0.33 to 0.42 vs mean population AQoL 0.83, 95%CI 0.82 to 0.84). Twenty-five per cent of participants showed decline in health status (≥9.6 WOMAC units) over the waiting period and prevalence of high psychological distress remained high at preadmission (RR 3.5, 95%CI 2.8 to 4.5). Most participants considered their pain (84%), fatigue (76%), quality of life (73%) and confidence in managing their health (55%) had worsened while waiting for surgery.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Despite substantial initial morbidity, over half of the participants awaiting joint replacement experienced deterioration in HRQoL during the waiting period. These data provide much-needed evidence to guide health professionals and policymakers in the design of care pathways and resource allocation for people who require joint replacement surgery.</p

Upper extremity impairments in type 1 diabetes with long duration : common problems with great impact on daily life

PURPOSE: To investigate the prevalence, activity limitations and potential risk factors of upper extremity impairments in type 1 diabetes in comparison to controls. METHODS: In a cross-sectional population-based study in the southeast of Sweden, patients with type 1 diabetes &lt;35 years at onset, duration ≥20 years, &lt;67 years old and matched controls were invited to answer a questionnaire on upper extremity impairments and activity limitations and to take blood samples. RESULTS: Seven hundred and seventy-three patients (ages 50 ± 10 years, diabetes duration 35 ± 10 years) and 708 controls (ages 54 ± 9 years) were included. Shoulder pain and stiffness, hand paraesthesia and finger impairments were common in patients with a prevalence of 28-48%, which was 2-4-folds higher than in controls. Compared to controls, the patients had more bilateral impairments, often had coexistence of several upper extremity impairments, and in the presence of impairments, reported more pronounced activity limitations. Female gender (1.72 (1.066-2.272), p = 0.014), longer duration (1.046 (1.015-1.077), p = 0.003), higher body mass index (1.08 (1.017-1.147), p = 0.013) and HbA1c (1.029 (1.008-1.05), p = 0.007) were associated with upper extremity impairments. CONCLUSIONS: Compared to controls, patients with type 1 diabetes have a high prevalence of upper extremity impairments, often bilateral, which are strongly associated with activity limitations. Recognising these in clinical practise is crucial, and improved preventative, therapeutic and rehabilitative interventions are needed. Implications for rehabilitation Upper extremity impairments affecting the shoulder, hand and fingers are common in patients with type 1 diabetes, the prevalence being 2-4-fold higher compared to non-diabetic persons. Patients with diabetes type 1 with upper extremity impairments have more pronounced limitations in daily activities compared to controls with similar impairments. Recognising upper extremity impairments and activity limitations are important and improved preventive, therapeutic and rehabilitation methods are needed.Funding agencies: Medical Research Council of Southeast Sweden (FORSS); County council of Region Ostergotland, Sweden; Stiftelseforvaltningen of Region Ostergotland, Sweden</p

The quality of recovery on discharge from hospital, a comparison between patients undergoing hip and knee replacement - a European study

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To describe and compare the quality of recovery on discharge from hospital among patients undergoing elective hip or knee replacement. The study will also attempt to identify any predicting factors. BACKGROUND: Arthroplasty is commonly used for an increasing population of patients with osteoarthritis, and the recovery process starts directly after surgery. Today&apos;s shorter hospital stay may be a challenge for the patients during the early period of recovery. It is therefore important to identify factors associated with quality of recovery at discharge from hospital. DESIGN: A descriptive, comparative study including 12 hospitals in 5 European countries; Cyprus, Finland, Greece, Iceland and Sweden. METHODS: Consecutively included patients responded on: health-related quality of life, and emotions before surgery and at hospital discharge; quality of recovery, patient satisfaction and fulfilment of knowledge expectations. Related factors and associations were analysed separately for each kind of arthroplasty. In total, 865 patients were included (hip n = 413, knee n = 452). RESULTS: In the dimension of pain, patients undergoing hip replacement had significantly better quality of recovery compared to those undergoing knee replacement. Both patient groups experienced negative emotions before surgery that were related to poorer quality of recovery. Fulfilment of knowledge expectations has a limited effect on quality of recovery. Greater satisfaction with care predicted better quality of recovery. CONCLUSIONS: Negative preoperative emotions were related to poorer quality of recovery. For both kinds of arthroplasty, greater satisfaction with care was associated with better quality of recovery. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: The result emphasises the need to detect patients in need of support in their preparation and recovery process, taking into account the perspective of their emotional state. © 2016 John Wiley &amp; Sons Ltd

The total costs of a displaced femoral neck fracture: comparison of internal fixation and total hip replacement: A randomised study of 146 hips

We randomised 143 patients –age 75 years or older–with displaced femoral neck fracture to either internal fixation or total hip replacement (THR) and compared the socio-economic consequences. In the internal fixation group, 34 of 78 hips underwent secondary surgery. In the THR group, 12 of 68 hips dislocated, the majority in mentally impaired patients. We calculated the total hospital costs for two years after operation. When secondary surgery was included, there was no difference in costs between the internal fixation and THR groups, or between the mentally impaired and lucid subgroups. The costs to the community were calculated comparing the baseline cost before surgery with the average cost per month during the first postoperative year. No difference was found between the treatment groups. The Harris hip scores were higher in the THR group, and pain was more common in the internal fixation group. In lucid patients, THR gives a better clinical result at the same cost