• J A Singh and J A Sloan.
• Minneapolis VA Medical Center, Rheumatology (111R), One Veteran's Drive, Minneapolis, MN 55417, USA. Jasvinder.md@gmail.com
• Rheumatology (Oxford). 2008 Dec 1;47(12):1826-31.

ObjectiveTo study the HRQOL in veterans with prevalent total knee arthroplasty (TKA) or total hip arthroplasty (THA) and compare them with age- and gender-matched US population and control veteran population without these procedures.MethodsA cohort study and cross-sectional survey on veterans obtained demographics and HRQOL with Short-Form 36 for veterans (SF-36V). Veterans were categorized into: primary TKA; primary THA; combination group (>/=1 primary and/or any revision TKA/THA); and control population (no THA/TKA). Multivariable regression compared the physical and mental component summary scores (PCS and MCS scores, respectively) in each group.ResultsResponse rate was 58% (40 508/70 334): 531 with TKA, 254 with THA, 461 constituted the combination and 39 262, the control group. Mean PCS scores in veterans with THA, TKA, and combination group were 2 s.d. lower than the US mean (29.5 +/- 0.8; 30.1 +/- 1.1 and 27.1 +/- 0.8). MCS scores were similar to the US mean (47.3 +/- 0.9; 49.1 +/- 1.2 and 45.6 +/- 0.9). Compared with controls, significantly more veterans in TKA, THA or combination groups had multivariable-adjusted PCS /= 0.01) were statistically and clinically lower.ConclusionsProfound physical HRQOL deficits exist in veterans with TKA/THA and in combination group compared with age- and gender-matched general US population and with veteran controls. In these groups, these deficits are not attributable to differences in sociodemographics, comorbidity and healthcare access/utilization. Arthroplasty status may be a surrogate for poorer HRQOL and worse outcomes. Future studies are indicated to determine HRQOL deficit causes and interventions to improve HRQOL in patients with arthroplasty.

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