The impacts of pre-surgery wait for total knee replacement on pain, function and health-related quality of life six months after surgery

  1. François Desmeules PT PhD1,*,
  2. Clermont E. Dionne OT PhD2,
  3. Étienne L. Belzile MD FRCSC3,
  4. Renée Bourbonnais PhD4,
  5. Pierre Frémont MD PhD5

Article first published online: 11 OCT 2010

DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2753.2010.01541.x

Issue

Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice

Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice

Volume 18, Issue 1, pages 111–120, February 2012

Additional Information

How to Cite

Desmeules, F., Dionne, C. E., Belzile, É. L., Bourbonnais, R. and Frémont, P. (2012), The impacts of pre-surgery wait for total knee replacement on pain, function and health-related quality of life six months after surgery. Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice, 18: 111–120. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2753.2010.01541.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Graduate Student, Population Health Research Unit, Research Centre of the Laval University Affiliated Hospital, Quebec, QC, Canada and Graduate Student, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Laval University, Quebec, QC, Canada

  2. 2

    Director, Population Health Research Unit, Research Centre of the Laval University Affiliated Hospital, Quebec, QC, Canada and Professor, Department of Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Laval University, Quebec, QC, Canada

  3. 3

    Orthopaedic Surgeon, Laval University Hospital (CHUQ), Quebec, QC, Canada

  4. 4

    Professor, Department of Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Laval University, Quebec, QC, Canada and Researcher, Community Health Care Centre (CSSS) de la Vieille-Capitale, Quebec, QC, Canada

  5. 5

    Professor, Department of Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Laval University, Quebec, QC, Canada and Researcher, Laval University Hospital (CHUQ), Quebec, QC, Canada

*Assistant Professor François Desmeules, École de Réadaptation, Université de Montréal, CP 6128 Succursale Centre-Ville, Montréal, Québec, Canada H3C 3J7, E-mail: f.desmeules@umontreal.ca

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 5 JAN 2012
  2. Article first published online: 11 OCT 2010
  3. Accepted for publication: 16 July 2010

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Keywords:

  • function;
  • health organization;
  • health-related quality of life;
  • knee replacement;
  • pain;
  • waiting lists

Abstract

Objective  The purpose of the current study was to assess, in patients scheduled for primary total knee replacement (TKR), the effects of pre-surgery waiting time on pain and functional limitations related to the knee joint undergoing surgery, on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and on contralateral knee pain 6 months after surgery.

Method  A total of 141 patients scheduled for TKR were recruited from three hospitals in Quebec City, Canada, and followed up until 6 months after surgery. Pre-surgery wait, defined as the time between enrolment on the pre-surgery waiting list and surgery, was considered in four categories (≤3, >3–6, >6–9, >9 months). Pain and functional limitations were measured with the Western Ontario and McMaster Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC). HRQoL was measured with the SF-36.

Results  Mean pre-surgery waiting time was 184 (SD: 120.8) days. Six months after TKR, a significant difference was seen between the four groups of pre-surgery wait in terms of HRQoL SF-36 role physical [F(3, 136) = 2.74, P = 0.046] and contralateral knee WOMAC pain [F(3, 136) = 5.78, P = 0.0009] scores. Participants with the longest pre-surgery wait (>9 months) showed the worst scores 6 months after TKR.

Conclusions  Longer pre-surgery waiting time had a negative clinically important impact on HRQoL and contralateral knee pain 6 months after surgery.

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