title: Health-related quality of life after total knee or hip replacement for osteoarthritis: a 7-year prospective study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in a prospective study with 7 years of follow-up in 49 consecutive patients who underwent a total joint replacement because of osteoarthritis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Generic HRQOL was assessed with the short-form 36 (SF-36) and specific HRQOL with the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of the 39 subjects who have completed the 7 years of follow-up of this study, 22 (56.4 %) underwent a hip replacement surgery and the other 17 (43.6 %) a knee replacement. Six months after surgery, a significant improvement, compared to preoperative scores, was observed in two of the eight dimensions of the SF-36 (i.e. physical function and pain). The same dimensions, pain and physical function, at the same time, 6 months after surgery, measured by the WOMAC, showed a significant improvement as well, but there was no significant change in the stiffness score. From 6 months to the end of follow-up, changes in SF-36 scores showed a significant improvement in physical function (p = 0.008), role-physical (p = 0.004) and role-emotional (p = 0.01) while all scores of the WOMAC improved (p < 0.001 for pain, p < 0.001 for stiffness and p < 0.01 for physical function).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The improvements observed in HRQOL at short term after surgery, are at least maintained over a 7-year follow-up period.
authors: Department of Epidemiology, Public Health and Health Economics, University of Liège, CHU Sart-Tilman, Bât B23, 4000, Liège, Belgium. olivier.bruyere@ulg.ac.be
authors: O
authors: O
authors: Bruyère
authors: O
authors: O
authors: Ethgen
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Neuprez
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Zégels
authors: Ph
authors: P
authors: Gillet
authors: J-P
authors: JP
authors: Huskin
authors: J-Y
authors: JY
authors: Reginster
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019644:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip; D019645:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015207:Osteoarthritis, Hip / Q000601:surgery*; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000601:surgery*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life