Description
Malnutrition is a risk factor for the development of complications following total knee arthroplasty (TKA).
Objective:To determine the nutritional status, prior to surgery, of elderly patients undergoing primary TKA and its correlation with hospital stay and other patient characteristics.
Materials and Methods: Single-center, retrospective observational cohort study of patients aged >75 years who underwent primary TKA between 2016 and 2019. Patients with post-traumatic arthritis, arthritis secondary to septic processes, rheumatoid arthritis, and those with conditions that delayed wound healing, as well as those lacking albumin and lymphocyte data within 6 months before surgery, were excluded. Demographic, anthropometric, and preoperative biochemical variables related to nutritional status and hospitalization days were collected. Data extraction was performed in a coded manner by the information systems department and the biochemistry service. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS version 22. The study protocol was approved by the hospital's ethics committee.
Results: One hundred seventeen patients (61% women) met the inclusion criteria, and none met the exclusion criteria, with a mean age of 79.6 (range 75-90) years.
Materials and Methods
Single-center, retrospective observational cohort study of patients aged >75 years who underwent primary TKA between 2016 and 2019. Patients with post-traumatic arthritis, arthritis secondary to septic processes, rheumatoid arthritis, and those with conditions that delayed wound healing, as well as those lacking albumin and lymphocyte data within 6 months before surgery, were excluded. Demographic, anthropometric, and preoperative biochemical variables related to nutritional status and hospitalization days were collected. Data extraction was performed in a coded manner by the information systems department and the biochemistry service. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS version 22. The study protocol was approved by the hospital's ethics committee.
Results
One hundred seventeen patients (61% women) met the inclusion criteria, and none met the exclusion criteria, with a mean age of 79.6 (range 75-90) years.
Variables (n, Mean, (Range))
Materials and Methods
Single-center, retrospective observational cohort study of patients aged >75 years who underwent primary TKA between 2016 and 2019. Patients with post-traumatic arthritis, arthritis secondary to septic processes, rheumatoid arthritis, and those with conditions that delayed wound healing, as well as those lacking albumin and lymphocyte data within 6 months before surgery, were excluded. Demographic, anthropometric, and preoperative biochemical variables related to nutritional status and hospitalization days were collected. Data extraction was performed in a coded manner by the information systems department and the biochemistry service. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS version 22. The study protocol was approved by the hospital's ethics committee.
Results: One hundred seventeen patients (61% women) met the inclusion criteria, and none met the exclusion criteria, with a mean age of 79.6 (range 75-90) years.
Albumin 117, 4.05 (2.4-4.9)
Lymphocytes 116, 2 (0.79-5.8)
Albumin/Lymphocytes 116, 2.3 (0.7-4.3)
NPI (NPI = 10 x albumin (g/dL) + 0.005 x lymphocytes (/mm3)). 117, 40.6 (24-49)
Fibrinogen. 82, 4.1 (2.5-6.1)
Creatinine. 113, 0.9 (0.48-2.13)
BMI 109, 30 (20.3-31.4)
Hospitalization Days 117, 8.14 (2-74)
Patients (29) with NPI < 40 had a longer average hospital stay (12.8 days) compared to those with IPN > 40 with 6.6 days (p < 0.001). Furthermore, the NPI value in patients who were readmitted (8 patients) was lower (37.3(6.4)) than in those who were not readmitted (40.8(3.8)) (p = 0.018).
Conclusions
1.The nutritional status (measured by NPI) of patients over 75 years undergoing TKA is associated with an increased length of hospital stay and the possibility of readmission.
2.Preoperative NPI may identify those patients who are more likely to experience complications after surgery. And as a modifiable preoperative risk factor, it may help to optimise patients before they undergo TKA.
