Outcome of joint replacement in patients with underlying rheumatoid disease

BACKGROUNDArtificial joint replacement is a meaningful treatment option for patients with advanced rheumatic degenerative joint diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of the underlying rheumatic diseases on postoperative complications and patient-reported outcome (PRO) after elective total joint replacement (TJR).MATERIAL AND METHODSIn a retrospective analysis of 9149 patients with elective total knee or total hip arthroplasty (TKR and THR), complication rates and PRO of patients with and without rheumatic diseases (RD) were compared. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to determine whether the underlying rheumatic disease was an independent risk factor for various complications.RESULTSIn the univariate analyses the RD patients had an increased risk of medical complications (7.1% vs. 5.2%; p = 0.028) and Clavien-Dindo grade IV complications (2.8% vs. 1.8%; p = 0.048) after TJR. This was confirmed in multivariate statistical analyses (p