Outcomes of total knee arthroplasty in English- versus non-English-speaking patients.
OBJECTIVE
To compare outcomes of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in English- versus non-English-speaking patients.


METHODS
193 women and 85 men (mean age, 72 years) underwent 117 left and 161 right primary TKAs. 237 and 41 patients were English and non-English speaking, respectively. Interpretation was provided. Pre- and post-operative functional outcomes were measured using the International Knee Society (IKS) score.


RESULTS
Most non-English-speaking patients were female (38 vs 3 of 41, p<0.001). The mean body mass index of non-English-speaking patients was significantly higher (34 vs 31 kg/m[2], p=0.003). 14 foreign languages were spoken among the 41 non-English-speaking patients, of which Greek and Italian were the most common. Non-English-speaking patients had significantly worse IKS scores both preoperatively and at the 12-month follow-up. The proportions of poor postoperative IKS scores were significantly higher in non-English-speaking patients (58% vs 27%, p<0.001), in whom pain was also significantly worse (p=0.017). In a multiple logistic regression analysis, being non-English speaking was the only predictor of poor functional outcome at the 12-month follow-up (odds ratio=2.77, confidence interval=1.25-6.14, p=0.012).


CONCLUSIONS
The non-English-speaking background of a patient is a predictor of less favourable functional outcome after TKA.
Dowsey
Michelle M
MM
Department of Orthopaedics, University of Melbourne, St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Broadhead
Matthew L
ML
Stoney
James D
JD
Choong
Peter F
PF
D000368:Aged; D019645:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003144:Communication Barriers; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D010147:Pain Measurement; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012044:Regression Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome