Background: Obesity is a significant risk factor for developing knee osteoarthritis, and these cases suffer from complications following Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA). An association between obesity and outcome after TKA is ambiguous. Knowledge is scarce about a definite relation between the two. This study aims to establish a correlation between obesity and early outcomes of TKA.
Methods: This prospective cross-sectional study was done in cases undergoing primary knee arthroplasty between September 2019 to August 2020. Obesity was classified in all cases, and multiple variables like pain, functional status, Range of Motion, knee deformity, and Patient Response Outcome Measures were recorded. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS Statistical Software version 22.0 and R.3.2.0. The level of statistical significance was taken as p < 0.05.
Results: We studied 100 knees (37 bilateral and 26 unilateral) in 63 cases. Pain score decreased maximally in the normal and overweight group and minimal in class III obesity (p < 0.001). KSS, FKSS, and PROMs gradually improved in all, except in morbidly obese (p < 0.001). Although the improvement in all variables was minimum in class III obesity compared to other classes of obesity, the margin of difference from the preoperative period was maximum in class III obese participants.
Conclusion: All cases, irrespective of class of obesity, experienced a comparable improvement in their knee function and improved quality of life. In addition, the TKA offered substantial benefits in terms of pain relief, knee stability, walking distance, range of movement of the knee, and stair climbing.
Keywords: Body mass index; Infection; Obesity; Osteoarthritis; Total knee arthroplasty.
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