2019 年 38 巻 4 号 p. 459-464
Objective: There have been many mid- or long-term longitudinal assessments using subjective or patient self-reported outcome scales, which are useful for patient education. However, short-term information is often necessary in clinical practice because patients are anxious to return to activities of daily living or complete functional recovery shortly after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). This in turn may lead to better patient satisfaction. If we can provide patients with short-term information and ameliorate concerns about their delayed recovery, their anxiety and dissatisfaction may be reduced. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to clarify longitudinal subjective and objective outcomes up to 12 months after primary unilateral TKA for varus knee osteoarthritis (VKOA).
Methods: We enrolled 92 patients who underwent unilateral primary TKA for VKOA (12 males and 80 females). The average age at the time of operation was 72.7 years (range, 60-87 years). Clinical evaluations were performed preoperatively and postoperatively at four time points: 3 months (3M), 6 months (6M), and 12 months (12M). Subjective evaluations were performed using a disease-specific and patient-derived quality of life measure: the Japanese Knee Osteoarthritis Measure, visual analogue scale for pain, and degree of satisfaction. For objective evaluations, we used the Knee Society score, the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, and range of motion of the knee.
Results: All scales except for TUG showed significant improvement between pre- and post-3M, 3M and 6M, and 6M and 12M measures, respectively. TUG showed significant improvement between pre- and post-3M and 3M and 6M, respectively. The dissatisfaction rate was 25.0% at three months after TKA, but improved to 18% at six and 12 months after TKA.
Conclusion: Measures of subjective and objective evaluations following unilateral primary TKA for VKOA improved for 12 months post-operatively.
