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TKA in Patients With RA and OA

Do pain levels differ?

Publish date:: July 27, 2015

Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is highly effective in reducing clinically relevant knee pain so that patients can return to a less disabled lifestyle before the arthritic process catches up, according to a study of 18,897 patients undergoing primary TKA, including 834 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 315 patients with osteoarthritis (OA). Researchers found:

•After TKA, significant improvements were seen regarding pain, function, and health-related quality of life in both disease groups, with greater impact in OA.

•Greatest improvement was seen in index knee pain.

•HAQ II and SF-36 PCS indices were most responsive in detecting post-TKA improvement in RA.

•A diagnosis of RA, lower income, and preoperative anxiety were independently associated with less improvement in index knee pain after TKA.

Citation: Dusad A, Pedro S, Mikuls TR, et al. Impact of total knee arthroplasty using patient reported pain and health-related quality of life indices: rheumatoid arthritis versus osteoarthritis. [Published online ahead of print July 20, 2015]. Arthritis Rheumatol. doi: 10.1002/art.39221.

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