Article

Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is an effective procedure that provides
patients with long-term relief from pain and enables them to resume their normal
daily activities. Preoperative instruction about the functional outcomes and
optimum goal of rehabilitation is helpful for patients undergoing THA.
The purposes of this study were: (1) to examine the relationships between
preoperative physical functions and ambulation following THA and (2) to identify
optimal cutoff values for estimating ambulatory status at 6 months after THA.
This was a retrospective study. METHODS: The study participants were 204
patients who underwent a unilateral THA. Hip abductor and knee extensor strength
were measured and the Timed "Up & Go" Test (TUG) was conducted preoperatively.
The patients were divided into 2 groups according to self-reported walking
ability at 6 months postoperatively: an independent ambulation group (n=118) and
a cane-assisted ambulation group (n=86). Differences between the 2 groups were
examined using an unpaired t test or the chi-square test. A stepwise multiple
logistic regression analysis was performed with walking ability at 6 months
postoperatively as a dependent variable and age, sex, contralateral hip
osteoarthritis (ie, whether a participant had contralateral hip osteoarthritis or
not), body mass index, hip abductor strength, knee extensor strength, and TUG
score as independent variables. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis
was used to identify a cutoff point for classifying the participants into the 2
groups. RESULTS: A stepwise multiple logistic regression analysis selected 3
factors (age, knee extensor strength, and TUG score) as significant variables
affecting the midterm ambulatory ability after THA. Moreover, receiver operating
characteristic curve analyses revealed that the midterm (ie, 6-month) ambulatory
status after THA was more accurately predicted by the patient's TUG score (cutoff
point=10 seconds, sensitivity=76.7%, specificity=93.2%, area under the
curve=0.93) than by age and knee extensor strength. LIMITATIONS: The
categorization of ambulatory status in this study was based solely on
self-reported walking ability. CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that patients
with a preoperative TUG score of less than 10 seconds are likely to walk without
an assistive device at 6 months after THA.

Langue : ANGLAIS