Article

Recovery of function such as the ability to walk without an assistive
device after total hip arthroplasty (THA) is not always automatic.
This study investigated whether predetermined variables could be used to identify
patients who might have functional limitations at 6 months following THA. DESIGN:
A prospective, observational cohort design was used. METHOD: Demographics and
baseline measures, including age, sex, and preoperative Lower Extremity
Functional Scale (LEFS) score, were collected 1 to 3 weeks prior to surgery from
40 participants who were scheduled to undergo THA. Six weeks after surgery, a
second LEFS score was recorded along with each participant's body mass index and
the THA procedure performed; walking speed and balance also were assessed at this
time using the 10-Meter Walk Test, the Timed "Up & Go" Test, and the Functional
Reach Test. At 6 months following surgery, each participant's functional outcome
was determined from the final LEFS score and the need for an assistive device.
Classification and regression tree (CART) analyses and logistic regression were
used to establish which of the variables could predict outcome at 6 months.
RESULTS: Body mass index, sex, and age were identified by CART analysis as
predictors to classify participants who did not reach successful outcome status.
Logistic regression revealed that sex (female) was the only individual variable
that predicted outcome at 6 months. Walking speed was the only performance
variable identified as a predictor for outcome using CART analysis. LIMITATIONS:
Only a limited number of variables were observed due to the small sample size.
CONCLUSION: It is possible to identify those patients who are at risk for an
unsuccessful outcome through the use of variables such as body mass index, age,
and sex.

Langue : ANGLAIS