Abstract
To evaluate if young patients have a poorer functional outcome following Total Knee Arthroplasty surgery.
Database of 700 consecutive Total Knee Arthroplasty patients from Scotland, UK was collected with Oxford Knee scores and American Knee Society Scores both pre-operatively and at sequential follow up reviews (PFC database, DePuy). Complication data was also collated. Patients were then age stratified into below 55, 56–64, 65–74 and over 75 groups. Analysis was performed using General Linear Model ANOVA (Minitab v10) comparing functional score change between pre operative and 2 year score data.
No statistical difference was identified between the patient age groups and change in functional outcome scores (AKSS p=0.994; OKS p=0.368). All groups showed an improvement in functional scores over the 2 year period using both patients assessed (OKU) and physician scored outcomes (AKSS). There was no statistical difference in revision or infection rates.
Recent data has suggested higher revision and infection rates in young patients undergoing Total Knee Arthroplasty (Scottish Arthroplasty Report 2012). The data from the PFC database does not show any change in infection or revision rates within this sample population and the data does also not support any variance in change in functional outcome with all groups showing improvement following TKA. The findings may be limited due to sample size of 700 patients.
