ASA class is associated with early revision and reoperation after total hip arthroplasty: an analysis of the Geneva and Swedish Hip Arthroplasty Registries.

Background and purpose - Data from several joint replacement registries suggest that the rate of early revision surgery after primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) is increasing. The ASA class, now widely recorded in arthroplasty registries, may predict early revision. We investigated the influence of ASA class on the risk of revision and other reoperation within 3 months and within 5 years of primary THA. Patients and methods - We used data from the Geneva and Swedish Hip Arthroplasty Registries, on primary elective THAs performed in 1996-2016 and 2008-2016, respectively. 5,319 and 122,241 THAs were included, respectively. Outcomes were all-cause revision and other reoperations evaluated using Kaplan-Meier survival and Cox regression analyses. Results - Within 3 months after surgery, higher ASA class was associated with greater risk of revision and other reoperation. 3-month cumulative incidences of revision by ASA class I, II, and III-IV respectively, were 0.6%, 0.7%, and 2.3% in Geneva and 0.5%, 0.8%, and 1.6% in Sweden. 3-month cumulative incidences of other reoperation were 0.4%, 0.7%, and 0.9% in Geneva and 0.2%, 0.4%, and 0.7% in Sweden. Adjusted hazard ratios (ASA III-IV vs. I) for revision within 3 months were 2.7 (95% CI 1.2-5.9) in Geneva and 3.3 (CI 2.6-4.0) in Sweden. Interpretation - Assessment of ASA class of patients prior to THA will facilitate risk stratification. Targeted risk-reduction strategies may be appropriate during the very early postoperative period for patients identified as at higher risk. Systematically recording ASA class in arthroplasty registries will permit risk adjustment and facilitate comparison of revision rates internationally.

Contemporary posterior surgical approach in total hip replacement: still more reoperations due to dislocation compared with direct lateral approach? An observational study of the Swedish Hip Arthroplasty Register including 156,979 hips.

Background and purpose - The direct lateral approach (DLA) and the posterior approach (PA) are the most common surgical approaches in total hip replacement (THR) in Sweden. We investigated how the relationship between surgical approach and risk of reoperation due to dislocation has evolved over time. Patients and methods - Data were extracted from the Swedish Hip Arthroplasty Register from 1999 to 2014. We selected all THRs due to osteoarthritis with head sizes 28, 32, and 36 mm that were performed with either the DLA or the PA. Resurfacing prostheses were excluded. Kaplan-Meier curves for risk of reoperation due to dislocation and all-cause for the 2 surgical approaches were compared for 2 periods (1999-2006 and 2007-2014) up to 2 years postoperatively. We used Cox regression for sex, age, type of fixation, and head size to determine hazard ratios (HR) with DLA set as reference. Results - 156,979 THRs met the selection criteria. In 1999-2006, the PA was associated with increased risk of reoperation due to dislocation (HR 2.3, 95% CI 1.7-3.0) but there was no difference in the risk of all-cause reoperation (HR 1.1, CI 0.9-1.2). In 2007-2014 there was no statistically significant difference in the risk of reoperation due to dislocation (HR 1.2, CI 0.9-1.6) but the risk of all-cause reoperation was lower (HR 0.8, CI 0.7-0.9) for the PA. Interpretation - This study confirms historic reports on the increased risk of early reoperations due to dislocations using the PA compared with the DLA. However, in contemporary practice, the higher risk of reoperation due to dislocation associated with PA has declined, now being similar to that after DLA. We believe improved surgical technique for the PA may explain the results. Surprisingly, the PA was associated with lower risk of all-cause reoperation in 2007-2014. This finding warrants further investigation.

Is Parkinson's Disease Associated with Increased Mortality, Poorer Outcomes Scores, and Revision Risk After THA? Findings from the Swedish Hip Arthroplasty Register.

BACKGROUND: Neurological conditions such as Parkinson's disease are commonly accepted as a risk factor for an increased likelihood of undergoing revision surgery or death after THA. However, the available evidence for an association between Parkinson's disease and serious complications or poorer patient-reported outcomes after THA is limited and contradictory. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: (1) Do patients with a preoperative diagnosis of Parkinson's disease have an increased risk of death after elective THA compared with a matched control group of patients? (2) After matching for patient- and surgery-related factors, do revision rates differ between the patients with Parkinson's disease and the matched control group? (3) Are there any differences in patient-reported outcome measures for patients with Parkinson's disease compared with the matched control group? METHODS: Data were derived from a merged database with information from the Swedish Hip Arthroplasty Register and administrative health databases. We identified all patients with Parkinson's disease who underwent THA for primary osteoarthritis between January 1, 1999 and December 31, 2012 (n = 490 after exclusion criteria applied). A control group was generated through exact one-to-one matching for age, sex, Charlson comorbidity index, surgical approach, and fixation method. Risk of death and revision were compared between the groups using Kaplan-Meier and log-rank testing. Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), routinely recorded as EQ-5D, EQ VAS, and pain VAS, were measured at the preoperative visit and at 1-year postoperatively; mean absolute values for PROM scores and change in scores over time were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The risk of death did not differ at 90 days (control group risk = 0.61%; 95% CI = 0.00-1.3; Parkinson's disease group risk = 0.62%; 95% CI = 0.00-1.31; p = 0.998) or 1 year (control group = 2.11%; 95% CI = 0.81-3.39; Parkinson's disease group = 2.56%, 95% CI = 1.12-3.97; p = 0.670). At 9 years, the risk of death was increased for patients with Parkinson's disease (control group = 28.05%; 95% CI = 22.29-33.38; Parkinson's disease group = 54.35%; 95% CI = 46.72-60.88; p < 0.001). The risk of revision did not differ at 90 days (control group = 0.41%; 95% CI = 0.00-0.98; Parkinson's disease group = 1.03%; 95% CI = 0.13-1.92; p = 0.256). At 1 year, the risk of revision was higher for patients with Parkinson's disease (control group = 0.41%; 95% CI = 0.00-0.98; Parkinson's disease group = 2.10%; 95% CIs = 0.80-3.38; p = 0.021). This difference was more pronounced at 9 years (control group = 1.75%; 95% CI = 0.11-3.36; Parkinson's disease group = 5.44%; 95% CI = 2.89-7.91; p = 0.001) when using the Kaplan-Meier method. There was no difference between the control and Parkinson's disease groups for level of pain relief at 1 year postoperatively (mean reduction in pain VAS score for control group = 48.85, SD = 20.46; Parkinson's disease group = 47.18, SD = 23.96; p = 0.510). Mean change in scores for quality of life and overall health from preoperative measures to 1 year postoperatively were smaller for patients in the Parkinson's disease group compared with controls (mean change in EQ-5D scores for control group = 0.42, SD = 0.32; Parkinson's disease group = 0.30, SD = 0.37; p 0.003; mean change in EQ VAS scores for control group = 20.94, SD = 23.63; Parkinson's disease = 15.04, SD = 23.00; p = 0.027). CONCLUSIONS: Parkinson's disease is associated with an increased revision risk but not with short-term mortality rates relevant to assessing risk versus benefit before undergoing THR. The traditional reluctance to perform THR in patients with Parkinson's disease may be too conservative given that the higher long-term risk of death is more likely due to the progressive neurological disorder and not THR itself, and patients with Parkinson's disease report comparable outcomes to controls. Further research on outcomes in THR for patients with other neurological conditions is needed to better address the broader assumptions underlying this traditional teaching.Level of Evidence Level III, therapeutic study.

Implant survival and patient-reported outcome following total hip arthroplasty in patients 30 years or younger: a matched cohort study of 1,008 patients in the Swedish Hip Arthroplasty Register.

Background and purpose - The outcome of total hip arthroplasty (THA) in younger patients is suggested to be inferior compared with the general THA population. There is a lack of studies with long-term follow up for very young patients. We report on implant survival and patient-reported outcome in patients aged 30 years or younger. Patients and methods - Data on THAs performed in Sweden between the years 2000 and 2016 were included. There were 504 patients 30 years or younger with complete demographic and surgical data (study group). A matched comparison group older than 30 years was identified. Implant survival was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Patient-reported outcome was analyzed in a subgroup of patients. Results - The 10-year and 15-year implant survivorship for the study group was 90% and 78%, respectively. The corresponding figures for the patients older than 30 years were 94% and 89%. The median preoperative EQ-5D index was lower in the study group; the improvement in EQ-5D index was similar between the study and the comparison groups. The preoperative EQ-VAS was lower and the improvement in EQ-VAS at 1 year was larger in the study group. Interpretation - The promising 10-year implant survival and 1-year improvement in patient-reported outcome suggests that THA is a feasible option in the patients 30 years or younger.

High annual surgeon volume reduces the risk of adverse events following primary total hip arthroplasty: a registry-based study of 12,100 cases in Western Sweden.

Background and purpose - Most earlier publications investigating whether annual surgeon volume is associated with lower levels of adverse events (AE), reoperations, and mortality are based on patient cohorts from North America. There is also a lack of adjustment for important confounders in these studies. Therefore, we investigated whether higher annual surgeon volume is associated with a lower risk of adverse events and mortality within 90 days following primary total hip arthroplasty (THA). Patients and methods - We collected information on primary total hip arthroplasties (THA) performed between 2007 and 2016 from 10 hospitals in Western Sweden. These data were linked with the Swedish Hip Arthroplasty Register and a regional patient register. We used logistic regression (simple and multiple) adjusted for age, sex, comorbidities, BMI, fiation technique, diagnosis, surgical approach, time in practice as orthopedic specialist and annual volume. Annual surgeon volume was calculated as the number of primary THAs the operating surgeon had performed 365 days prior to the index THA. Results - 12,100 primary THAs, performed due to both primary and secondary osteoarthritis by 268 different surgeons, were identified. The median annual surgeon volume was 23 primary THAs (range 0-82) 365 days prior to the THA of interest and the mean risk of AE within 90 days was 7%. If the annual volume increased by 10 primary THAs in the simple logistic regression the risk of AE decreased by 10% and in the adjusted multiple regression the corresponding number was 8%. The mortality rate in the study was low (0.2%) and we could not find any association between 90-day mortality and annual surgeon volume. Interpretation - High annual surgical activity is associated with a reduced risk of adverse events within 90 days. Based on these findings healthcare providers should consider planning for increased surgeon volume.