Article

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether sex affects the trajectory of functional
recovery after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). DESIGN: Retrospective analysis from
a historical database containing data from 3 prospective clinical trials and a
pilot study. SETTING: Clinical laboratory setting. PARTICIPANTS: Recruitment
across studies was restricted to patients who underwent an elective unilateral
TKA for the treatment of osteoarthritis and were between 50 and 85 years of age
(N=301). INTERVENTIONS: Across all 4 studies, patients received a TKA and
physical therapy intervention. Measures of physical function and strength were
assessed before TKA and 1, 3, and 6 months after TKA. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:
Using a repeated-measures maximum likelihood model, statistical inference was
made to estimate the changes in outcomes from before surgery to 1, 3, and 6
months after TKA that were stratified by sex. Muscle strength was assessed during
maximal isometric quadriceps and hamstrings contractions. Muscle activation was
assessed in the quadriceps muscle. Physical function outcomes included timed Up
and Go (TUG) test, stair climbing test, and 6-minute walk test (6MWT). RESULTS:
Women demonstrated less decline in quadriceps strength than did men at 1, 3, and
6 months after TKA (P<.04), whereas women demonstrated less decline in hamstrings
strength 1 month after TKA (P<.0001). Women demonstrated a greater decline than
did men on the TUG test (P=.001), stair climbing test (P=.004), and 6MWT (P=.001)
1 month after TKA. Sex differences in physical function did not persist at 3 and
6 months after TKA. CONCLUSIONS: Sex affected early recovery of muscle and
physical function in the first month after TKA. Women demonstrated better
preservation of quadriceps strength but a greater decline on measures of physical
function than did men.
CI - Published by Elsevier Inc.

Langue : ANGLAIS