No difference in health-related quality of life in hip osteoarthritis compared to degenerative lumbar instability at pre- and 1-year postoperatively: a prospective study of 101 patients.
BACKGROUND
Total hip replacement (THR) is a very successful and refined surgical procedure when compared to crude bony fusion in degenerative lumbar segmental instability (LF). We compared the pre- and postoperative health-related quality of life status of THR and LF patients.


METHODS
We prospectively studied 51 THR patients and 50 LF patients. The outcome parameters were SF-36 and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), measured preoperatively and at 1 year postoperatively. The status of the patients was compared to that of an age-matched healthy control group.


RESULTS
The preoperative SF-36 and ODI scores were similar between the groups, except for the subscale role emotional. One year postoperatively, only the differences in 3 subscales (physical functioning, role physical, and role emotional) and in the standardized physical component reached statistical significance; the THR-patients scored worse than the LF-patients. The improvements in SF-36 and ODI reached statistical significance in both groups.


CONCLUSIONS
The differences in quality of life between the THR and LF patients were similar pre- and postoperatively. The quality of life of both cohorts improved considerably and significantly after the treatment, but they remained at a level significantly below that of a general age-matched population.
Juul
Ole
O
Department of Orthopedics, University Hospital of Odense, Odense, Denmark.
Sigmundsson
Freyr G
FG
Ovesen
Ole
O
Andersen
Mikkel O
MO
Ernst
Carsten
C
Thomsen
Karsten
K
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000601:surgery; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015207:Osteoarthritis, Hip / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000601:surgery; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D020127:Recovery of Function; D013123:Spinal Fusion; D016896:Treatment Outcome