Short-Term and Long-Term Pain After Total Hip Arthroplasty: A Prospective Cohort Study

Postoperative pain has a major influence on older adults’ rehabilitation. There is a lack of knowledge regarding how older adults return to daily living after discharge. The primary aim of this study was to examine the association between moderate to severe pain during the first 5 postoperative days and pain 1 year after discharge in older adults after total hip arthroplasty (THA). This was a prospective cohort study. The study was conducted from August 2019 to February 2020, in a University Hospital in Denmark and included a 5-day diary and a telephone interview postoperatively. The following main areas were investigated: pain levels, pain management, side effects from opioids, mood, fatigue, quality of sleep, and functional level. Associations between moderate to severe pain levels at 5 days after surgery and persistent pain at 1 year were evaluated through correlation analyses. A total of 70 THA older adults returned the diary postoperatively. Thereafter, 62 participated in a 1-year follow-up interview. No associations were found between pain levels 5 days postoperatively and after 1 year. Fifteen older adults reported hip pain was present still 1 year after surgery, and 14 patients still used analgesics on daily basis. No correlation was found between levels of pain and quality of sleep 1 year after surgery. No association was found between older adults with moderate to severe levels of pain during the first 5 days postoperatively and 1 year after surgery. Proactive follow-up strategies for older adults after discharge following THA may be indicated to promote optimal rehabilitation.