title: Patient relevant outcome 7 years after total hip replacement for OA - a prospective study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To investigate prospectively the patient-relevant outcome 7 years after total hip replacement (THR) for osteoarthritis (OA).
  
  
  METHODS
  219 consecutive patients (120 women) with primary OA, mean age 71 (range 50-92) were assigned for THR. They were examined preoperatively, at 3, 6, 12 months, and at 4, 5 and 7 years postoperatively with the self-administered questionnaires SF-36 and WOMAC. Supplementary questions regarding postoperative complications, general co-morbidity, social circumstances and patient satisfaction were asked at the three last follow-ups. A reference group, 117 subjects (67 women), mean age 72 (range 52-92) without hip complaints were recruited from the community and investigated at the same times.
  
  
  RESULTS
  151/170 (89%) of the patients and 65/74 (88%) of the reference group participated at the 7 year follow-up. The best postoperative result was reported one year postoperatively. At the 7 year follow up there was a significant difference between the patients and controls in SF-36 physical function (PF) and role physical (RP) but not of WOMAC function. There was no difference in frequency of co-morbid conditions between those operated and the reference group, but those operated were in greater need of walking aid (46% vs. 8% p < 0.0001) and reported more regional and widespread pain (68% vs. 53% p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study shows that in an unselected cohort the patients experience a similar health-related quality of life as a reference group of a similar age and sex structure 7 years after THR except for general physical function where the patients score worse.
authors.affiliation: Department Orthopedics, Lund University, Lund, Sweden. Anna.Nilsdotter@lthalland.se
authors.forename: Anna-K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Nilsdotter
authors.forename: Fredrik
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Isaksson
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019644:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D051346:Mobility Limitation; D015207:Osteoarthritis, Hip / Q000601:surgery*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000453:epidemiology; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000401:mortality*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013995:Time; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome