Factors that impact expectations before total knee arthroplasty.

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Patient-Reported Outcomes
• Health Psychology

Background:

• Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a common procedure for end-stage knee osteoarthritis.
• Patient expectations significantly impact post-operative satisfaction and outcomes.
• Identifying factors influencing pre-operative expectations is crucial for managing patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between patient attributes and pre-operative expectations for TKA.
• To identify demographic, clinical, and patient-reported factors predicting TKA expectations.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study of 1943 patients undergoing TKA.
• Collected data on demographics, surgical history, SF-36, KOOS, and Lower Extremity Activity Scale.
• Utilized univariate and multivariate regression analyses to identify predictors of expectations.

Main Results:

• Univariate analysis showed correlations between expectations and SF-36 General Health, age, SF-36 Vitality, KOOS Quality-of-Life, and Lower Extremity Activity Scale.
• Living alone and prior joint arthroplasty were linked to lower expectations; male sex and white race to higher expectations.
• Multivariate analysis identified age, living situation, prior arthroplasty, SF-36 General Health, and KOOS Quality-of-Life as significant predictors.

Conclusions:

• High expectations for TKA are prevalent among patients.
• Patient attributes like age, living situation, and health status influence TKA expectations.
• Moderating potentially unrealistic expectations is essential for optimizing patient satisfaction post-TKA.