Article ID: 11271
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to demonstrate that the early discharge program (EP) for patients after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is non-inferior to the standard hospitalization program (SP) in terms of motor function recovery.
Methods: We prospectively identified 59 patients in the SP and 45 patients in the EP who underwent TKA at two hospitals. The primary outcome measure included Timed Up & Go (TUG) test at 6 months postoperatively and the secondary outcome measures, knee range of motion (ROM), knee extension strength, and patient-reported knee function. One-to-one propensity score matching was preoperatively performed to compare the postoperative TUG test scores between the two programs. After matching, a non-inferiority trial was conducted to demonstrate that the EP for patients after TKA was non-inferior to the SP in terms of motor function recovery, with a non-inferiority margin of 2.49 seconds. In addition, multiple linear regression was used to investigate the differences in knee ROM, knee extension strength, and patient-reported knee function between these programs.
Results: The patients in the EP showed non-inferiority in motor function in comparison with those in the SP (95% confidence interval of the difference in TUG test score adjusted by the surgical time and preoperative TUG test score: –1.6 to 0.4 seconds). Moreover, we found no significant differences in knee ROM, knee extension strength, and patient-reported knee function between the programs.
Conclusion: We conclude that the EP for the patients after TKA was non-inferior to the SP for motor function recovery.
