The Impact of Morbid Obesity on Patient Outcomes After Total Knee Arthroplasty

• Published in: The Journal of arthroplasty Vol. 23; no. 6; pp. 795 - 800
• Main Authors: Rajgopal, Vaishnav, MD, Bourne, Robert B., MD, FRCSC, Chesworth, Bert M., BA, BScPT, MScPT, PhD, MacDonald, Steven J., MD, FRCSC, McCalden, Richard W., MD, MPhil(Edin), FRCSC, Rorabeck, Cecil H., MD, FRCSC, FACS
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.09.2008
• Subjects: Aged; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee; clinical outcome; Female; Humans; knee arthroplasty; Linear Models; Male; Middle Aged; obesity; Obesity, Morbid - physiopathology; Obesity, Morbid - psychology; Orthopedics; Osteoarthritis, Knee - physiopathology; Osteoarthritis, Knee - psychology; Osteoarthritis, Knee - surgery; Outcome Assessment (Health Care); Prospective Studies; Retrospective Studies; Treatment Outcome; knee arthroplasty; clinical outcome; obesity
• ISSN: 0883-5403; 1532-8406
• DOI: 10.1016/j.arth.2007.08.005

Abstract Five hundred fifty patients who underwent primary total knee arthroplasty between 1987 and 2004 with a primary diagnosis of osteoarthritis and 1-year outcome data (Western Ontario and McMaster Osteoarthritis Index [WOMAC]) were evaluated. Patients were stratified into body mass index categories based on the World Health Organization classification of obesity. Patients were dichotomized into a class III morbidly obese group and a non–morbidly obese group. Independent t test and multivariable linear regression were used to determine if a difference existed in the 1-year WOMAC outcome between morbidly obese patients and all other patients. Although 1-year outcomes were worse for morbidly obese patients ( P < .05), they showed greater improvement in function compared with non–morbidly obese patients. Morbid obesity does not affect 1-year outcomes in patients who have had a total knee arthroplasty.