Quality of life and life-space mobility after total knee arthroplasty in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a pilot case-controlled study.
Yasuaki Mizoguchi, Shinya Tanaka, Yukihiro Matsumoto and 4 others
PMID 34539070WHAT IT FOUND
Five months after knee replacement, patients with rheumatoid arthritis had similar muscle strength and walking speed to those with osteoarthritis.
However, they went out of town significantly less often and reported worse daily life function. Physical recovery did not translate into broader life participation.
Key findings
01Both groups showed significant improvement in hip and knee strength and walking speed (TUG) between 4 weeks and 5 months post-surgery, with no significant difference between the rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis groups.
02Patients with rheumatoid arthritis did not significantly improve their 'Condition in daily life' or 'General activities' scores on the JKOM scale from pre-surgery to 5 months, whereas patients with osteoarthritis did.
03At 5 months, the rheumatoid arthritis group reported significantly less frequent travel to spaces outside their immediate neighborhood (within town and outside of town) compared to the osteoarthritis group.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
Very small sample size (5 RA, 11 OA), limiting statistical power and generalizability. Short follow-up period (5 months), which may not capture long-term changes in life-space mobility or quality of life. Age mismatch between groups (RA group was significantly younger), which could influence outcomes. Did not account for disease activity in other joints (e.g., hips, ankles) which may impact function and mobility in RA patients. Single-center study with specific Japanese lifestyle and rehabilitation protocols, potentially limiting applicability to other populations.
Declared interests
The authors have no conflicts of interest and funding to disclose.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the similar physical function scores as evidence that RA patients achieve the same overall outcome as OA patients. The study found that despite similar strength and walking speed, RA patients had significantly restricted life-space mobility and did not improve in daily life function subscales, indicating that physical recovery alone is insufficient for functional participation in this group.