A dual THC + FI intervention led to substantial improvements in step count and physical activity following TKR.

Background: While obesity may be a risk factor for complications following total knee arthroplasty, data remain sparse on the impact of the degree of obesity on patient-reported outcomes following this procedure. Our objective was to determine the extent to which obesity level affects the trajectory of recovery as well as patient-reported pain, function, and satisfaction with surgery following total knee arthroplasty. Methods: We followed a cohort of patients who underwent total knee arthroplasty at 1 of 4 medical centers. Patients were ‡40 years of age with a primary diagnosis of osteoarthritis. We stratified patients into 5 groups according to the World Health Organization classification of body mass index (BMI). We assessed the association between BMI group and pain and function over the time intervals of 0 to 3, 3 to 6, and 6 to 24 months using a piecewise linear model. We also assessed the association between BMI group and patient-reported outcomes at 24 months. Multivariable models adjusted for age, sex, race, diabetes, musculoskeletal functional limitations index, pain medication use, and study site. Results: Of the 633 participants included in our analysis, 19% were normal weight (BMI of <25 kg/m 2), 32% were overweight (BMI of 25 to 29.9 kg/m 2), 27% were class-I obese (BMI of 30 to 34.9 kg/m 2), 12% were class-II obese (BMI of 35 to 39.9 kg/m 2), and 9% were class-III obese (BMI of ‡40 kg/m 2). Study participants with a higher BMI had worse preoperative WOMAC (Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index) pain and function scores and had greater improvement from baseline to 3 months. The mean change in pain and function from 3 to 6 and from 6 to 24 months was similar across all BMI groups. At 24 months, participants in all BMI groups had similar levels of pain, function, and satisfaction. Conclusions: Because of the differential trajectory of recovery in the first 3 months following total knee arthroplasty, the participants in the higher BMI groups were able to attain absolute pain and function scores similar to those in the nonobese and class-I obese groups. These data can help surgeons discuss expectations of pain relief and functional improvement with total knee arthroplasty candidates with higher BMI. Level of Evidence: Prognostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence. K nee osteoarthritis is a prevalent, disabling joint disease that affects almost 4% of the global population 1,2. Knee osteoarthritis is more prevalent in obese individuals, and increased body mass index (BMI) has been established as a risk factor for the disease 3,4. The number of obese patients with advanced knee osteoarthritis is expected to increase in the coming decades as the prevalence of obesity among U.S. adults continues to rise 5. Patients who develop advanced knee osteoarthritis are typically offered total knee arthroplasty, a cost-effective procedure for relieving pain and restoring function 6,7. More than 660,000 total knee arthroplasty procedures were ...

BackgroundKnee osteoarthritis is a leading global cause of health-related quality of life loss. The aim of this project was to quantify health losses arising from knee osteoarthritis in New Zealand (NZ) in terms of quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) lost.MethodsThe Osteoarthritis Policy Model (OAPol), a validated Monte Carlo computer simulation model, was used to estimate QALYs lost due to knee osteoarthritis in the NZ adult population aged 40–84 over their lifetimes from the base year of 2006 until death. Data were from the NZ Health Survey, NZ Burden of Diseases, NZ Census, and relevant literature. QALYs were derived from NZ EQ-5D value set 2. Sensitivity to health state valuation, disease and pain prevalence were assessed in secondary analyses.ResultsBased on NZ EQ-5D health state valuations, mean health losses due to knee osteoarthritis over people’s lifetimes in NZ are 3.44 QALYs per person, corresponding to 467,240 QALYs across the adult population. Average estimated per person QALY losses are higher for non-Māori females (3.55) than Māori females (3.38), and higher for non-Māori males (3.34) than Māori males (2.60). The proportion of QALYs lost out of the total quality-adjusted life expectancy for those without knee osteoarthritis is similar across all subgroups, ranging from 20 to 23 percent.ConclusionsAt both the individual and population levels, knee osteoarthritis is responsible for large lifetime QALY losses. QALY losses are higher for females than males due to greater prevalence of knee osteoarthritis and higher life expectancy, and lower for Māori than non-Māori due to lower life expectancy. Large health gains are potentially realisable from public health and policy measures aimed at decreasing incidence, progression, pain, and disability of osteoarthritis.

BackgroundWe designed and implemented the Brigham and Women’s Wellness Initiative (B-Well), a single-arm study to examine the feasibility of a workplace program that used individual and team-based financial incentives to increase physical activity among sedentary hospital employees.MethodsWe enrolled sedentary, non-clinician employees of a tertiary medical center who self-reported low physical activity. Eligible participants formed or joined teams of three members and wore Fitbit Flex activity monitors for two pre-intervention weeks followed by 24 weeks during which they could earn monetary rewards. Participants were rewarded for increasing their moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) by 10% from the previous week or for meeting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) physical activity guidelines (150 min of MVPA per week). Our primary outcome was the proportion of participants meeting weekly MVPA goals and CDC physical activity guidelines. Secondary outcomes included Fitbit-wear adherence and factors associated with meeting CDC guidelines more consistently.ResultsB-Well included 292 hospital employees. Participants had a mean age of 38 years (SD 11), 83% were female, 38% were obese, and 62% were non-Hispanic White. Sixty-three percent of participants wore the Fitbit ≥4 days per week for ≥20 weeks. Two-thirds were satisfied with the B-Well program, with 79% indicating that they would participate again. Eighty-six percent met either their personal weekly goal or CDC physical activity guidelines for at least 6 out of 24 weeks, and 52% met their goals or CDC physical activity guidelines for at least 12 weeks. African Americans, non-obese subjects, and those with lower impulsivity scores reached CDC guidelines more consistently.ConclusionsOur data suggest that a financial incentives-based workplace wellness program can increase MVPA among sedentary employees. These results should be reproduced in a randomized controlled trial.Trial registrationClinicaltrials.gov, NCT02850094. Registered July 27, 2016 [retrospectively registered].

Objective Approximately 20% of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) recipients have suboptimal pain relief. We evaluated the association between pre-surgical widespread body pain and incomplete pain relief following TKA. Method This prospective analysis included 241 patients with knee OA undergoing unilateral TKA who completed questionnaires preoperatively and up to 12 months post-operatively. Questionnaires included the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) pain scale and a body pain diagram. We derived the number of non-index painful body regions from the diagram. We used Poisson regression to determine the association between painful body regions identified preoperatively and both WOMAC pain at follow-up and improvement in pain as defined by the minimal clinically important difference (MCID). Results Mean subject age was 66 years (SD 9), and 61% were females. Adjusting for age, sex, co-morbid conditions, baseline pain, pain catastrophizing, and mental health, we found that more widespread body pain was associated with a higher likelihood of reporting 12-month WOMAC pain score >15 (relative risk [RR] per painful body region 1.39, 95% CI 1.18–1.63) and a greater likelihood of failing to achieve the MCID (RR 1.47, 95% CI 1.16–1.86). ). Pain catastrophizing was an independent predictor of persistent pain and failure to improve by the MCID (RR 3.57, 95% CI 1.73–7.31). Conclusions Pre-operative widespread pain was associated with greater pain at 12-months and failure to reach the MCID. Widespread pain as captured by the pain diagram, along with the pain catastrophizing score, may help identify persons with suboptimal TKA outcome.