Health-related quality of life after total knee or hip replacement for osteoarthritis: a 7-year prospective study

Objective To assess health-related quality of life
(HRQOL) in a prospective study with 7 years of follow-up
in 49 consecutive patients who underwent a total joint
replacement because of osteoarthritis.
Methods Generic HRQOL was assessed with the shortform
36 (SF-36) and specific HRQOL with the Western
Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index
(WOMAC).
Results Out of the 39 subjects who have completed the
7 years of follow-up of this study, 22 (56.4 %) underwent a
hip replacement surgery and the other 17 (43.6 %) a knee
replacement. Six months after surgery, a significant
improvement, compared to preoperative scores, was
observed in two of the eight dimensions of the SF-36 (i.e.
physical function and pain). The same dimensions, pain
and physical function, at the same time, 6 months after
surgery, measured by the WOMAC, showed a significant
improvement as well, but there was no significant change
in the stiffness score. From 6 months to the end of followup,
changes in SF-36 scores showed a significant
improvement in physical function (p = 0.008), role-physical
(p = 0.004) and role-emotional (p = 0.01) while all
scores of the WOMAC improved (p\0.001 for pain,
p\0.001 for stiffness and p\0.01 for physical function).
Conclusion The improvements observed in HRQOL at
short term after surgery, are at least maintained over a
7-year follow-up period.