This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
Age, length of operation may predict hospital length of stay after TKA
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
Among patients who underwent total knee arthroplasty, older patients and longer operative duration were predictive of longer hospitalization times, whereas male gender, higher BMI and the use of cement in patients increased the risk for prolonged operation times, according to research presented at the European League Against Rheumatism Annual European Congress of Rheumatology.
Researchers studied 29 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 230 patients with osteoarthritis (OA) who underwent total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Patients in the RA group had a mean age of 70 years, and 22 of the patients were women. In the group with RA, the mean age was 75 years, and 188 of the patients were women. Data regarding hospital length of stay (LOS), BMI, use of anti-platelet agents, length of operation time, estimated postoperative blood loss, the use of cement for TKA and postoperative incidence of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) were collected. Ultrasound was used to diagnose DVT.
Multiple linear regression models were calculated using the Mann-Whitney U-test to compare variables between patients with RA and OA. Age and operation time were identified as risk factors for increased LOS among patients with either RA or OA who underwent TKA. Male gender, BMI and the use of cement in the TKA procedure were identified in sub-analysis as risk factors associated with longer operating times, according to the researchers. - by Shirley Pulawski
Reference:
Kawakami K, et al. Paper #AB0497. Presented at: European League Against Rheumatism Annual European Congress of Rheumatology; June 10-13, 2015; Rome.
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.