Association between rehabilitation attendance and physical function following discharge after total knee arthroplasty: prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Rehabilitation is widely advocated and provided as a standard of care for patients with total knee arthroplasty (TKA) but its effects on intermediate- to longer-term physical function is unclear. Also unknown is the relationship between the number of rehabilitation sessions attended and functional outcomes. METHODS: We conducted a prospective cohort study of 1540 patients who had undergone TKA and were referred for rehabilitation. Physical function was indexed by the Short-Form 36 (SF-36) physical function score at 6 months post-TKA. We used multivariable linear regression to assess the association between rehabilitation attendance and Month-6 physical function. Among patients who attended rehabilitation, multivariable linear regression was used to examine the dose-response association between the number of sessions attended and Month-6 physical function. RESULTS: Of the 1540 patients, 68 patients did not attend rehabilitation, 86 patients attended one session, and 1386 patients attended two or more sessions. Adjusted for the propensity to attend rehabilitation, rehabilitation attendance was independently associated with better Month-6 SF-36 physical function (point estimate, 5.0 points; 95% CI, 0.5-9.5; P = 0.028 compared with patients with no rehabilitation). Among patients who attended rehabilitation, attending five sessions was associated with a 3.6-point increase in SF-36 scores (95% CI, 0.8-6.5; P = 0.01) relative to patients who attended one session. CONCLUSIONS: Rehabilitation attendance post-TKA is associated with an increase in self-report physical function. Among patients who attended rehabilitation, a modest dose-response relationship was observed between the number of sessions and functional outcomes.

Advances in surgical treatment of osteoporotic fractures of the spine.

INTRODUCTION: To highlight recent advances in the management of osteoporotic compression fractures of the spine. METHODS: A MEDLINE search was conducted from January 1975 to October 2001. Keywords included osteoporotic compression fractures, osteoporosis and spine fractures. RESULTS: Osteoporotic fractures of the spine often cause significant morbidity to the elderly individual. Diagnosis requires a detailed history and physical examination and investigations are usually required to exclude other causes of back pain. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is often helpful in excluding other causes of pathologic fracture but may not be confirmatory. Conservative treatment was the traditional approach, but newer percutaneous treatments, such as vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty, are safe and simple day surgery procedures which allow for rapid recovery of symptoms and prevention of increasing spinal deformity. Neurological deficit as a result of spinal canal compromise from retropulsed fragments, though relatively uncommon, is well recognised as a cause of significant morbidity and is a major indication for open spinal surgery. Various spinal approaches including anterior or posterior decompression combined with a variety of stabilisation techniques have been reported in the literature. Rehabilitation is often required to improve physical function. CONCLUSIONS: Osteoporotic fractures of the spine are a common cause of morbidity in the elderly. Patients who have persistent pain despite conservative treatment require investigation to exclude other pathological causes of fracture. Percutaneous vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty are new techniques that offer much promise in the treatment of these elderly patients. Open surgery may still be required where there is significant neurologic compromise.