[Evaluation of quality of life of female patients after bilateral total knee arthroplasty].
OBJECTIVE
We evaluated the quality of life of female patients following total knee arthroplasty.


METHODS
The study included 50 women (mean age 67 years; range 52 to 84 years) who underwent bilateral total knee arthroplasty for primary osteoarthritis of the knee. All the patients were administered the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 (SF-36) and the Knee Society Clinical Rating System (KSCRS) preoperatively and at six weeks, three and six months postoperatively. Particular attention was given to provide patients with sufficient information on surgery and postoperative rehabilitation program.


RESULTS
Compared to preoperative scores, all the subscales of both instruments showed significant improvement at six weeks and six months (p<0.05). After six weeks, however, only SF-36 physical function scores continued to improve significantly till the final assessment (p<0.05), whereas the other subscales reflected only maintenance of improvement. Conversely, a consistent significant improvement after six weeks was seen in the pain score of the KSCRS, while the function score representing only maintenance of improvement.


CONCLUSIONS
Significant improvement is achieved in the quality of life of female patients within six weeks after total knee arthroplasty. It appears that, beyond six weeks, this improvement continues to be significant only in the physical function score of the SF-36 and pain score of the KSCRS.
Kilic
Erden
E
Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Gülhane Military Medical School, 06018 Etlik, Ankara, Turkey.
Sinici
Ebru
E
Tunay
Volga
V
Hasta
Derya
D
Tunay
Servet
S
Basbozkurt
Mustafa
M
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D019645:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011788:Quality of Life; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D012919:Social Behavior; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016138:Walking