Thyroid Diseases After Total Knee Replacement: A Multi-center, Propensity-score-matched Cohort Study

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Orthopedic Surgery
• Public Health

Background:

• Thyroid diseases are common endocrine disorders impacting overall health.
• Previous research focused on thyroid dysfunction affecting total knee replacement (TKR) outcomes.
• The risk of developing thyroid disorders after TKR surgery has not been previously investigated.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the potential association between total knee replacement (TKR) and the subsequent risk of developing thyroid diseases.
• To compare the incidence of thyroid disorders in patients who underwent TKR versus those who did not.

Main Methods:

• Utilized electronic medical records from the TriNetX research network (2005-2018).
• Compared patients with osteoarthritis who had TKR to a matched non-TKR control group.
• Employed propensity score matching to control for confounders and assessed hazard ratios for thyroid disease development.

Main Results:

• TKR patients showed a significantly higher risk of developing thyroid diseases compared to non-TKR controls (adjusted HR=1.126).
• The elevated risk was particularly notable in female TKR patients and those aged 65 years and older.
• Stratification analysis confirmed increased thyroid disease risk in these specific demographic groups post-TKR.

Conclusions:

• This study suggests a potential link between TKR and an increased risk of thyroid diseases.
• Older adults and females appear to be at higher risk following TKR.
• Further research is warranted to explore underlying mechanisms and inform clinical monitoring and preventive strategies for TKR patients.