Influence of obesity on outcome after knee arthroscopy.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the clinical outcomes in overweight women with those of a group of normal-weight women 4 to 11 years after arthroscopic debridement of the knee.


METHODS
A questionnaire containing the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), the short form health survey SF-36, and a survey regarding satisfaction with surgery was mailed to 121 patients. Questionnaire data were supplemented by chart review.


RESULTS
Ninety patients (74%) returned completed questionnaires. All scored significantly lower than age-matched normative data on all domains of the SF-36. The normal-weight group had better scores than the obese group, particularly in the physical functioning ( P =.01), role physical ( P =.05), mental health ( P =.11), and role emotional ( P =.11) domains. They were also more satisfied with their surgery ( P <.05), more likely to indicate that they would have the surgery again, and had fewer recurrences of knee pain ( P <.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Overweight women have poorer outcomes related to quality of life and satisfaction with surgery than normal-weight women.


METHODS
Level III, Case control study.
Harrison
Mark M
MM
Human Mobility Research Centre, Kingston General Hospital and the Department of Surgery, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada. mmh2@post.queensu.ca
Morrell
John
J
Hopman
Wilma M
WM
D000328:Adult; D016118:Anterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D001182:Arthroscopy; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003646:Debridement; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008592:Menisci, Tibial / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications*; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000150:complications / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000601:surgery*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome