Losing or Gaining Weight Affects Recovery
(New York, NY. March 14, 2014) While many overweight patients intend to lose weight after joint replacement, a study by Dr. Geoffrey Westrich at Hospital for Special Surgery finds that although some patients are able to accomplish this goal, equal numbers of patients actually gain weight after hip or knee replacement. Researchers also determined that patients’ success in managing their weight after surgery affects how well they do two years down the road.
…”Our findings represent the first report to present evidence that weight loss is associated with improved clinical outcomes, while weight gain is associated with inferior outcomes, although these results are really not surprising,” Dr. Westrich said. “As physicians, we should convey to our patients the importance of maintaining good health and an appropriate weight, and we should help them in any way we can to achieve this goal.”..
…A total of 3,036 knee and 3,893 hip replacement surgeries were reviewed. Findings:
- Seventy-four percent of total knee replacement patients and 84 percent of total hip replacement patients did not demonstrate a change in BMI following surgery.
- Patients who underwent knee replacement were more likely to lose weight after surgery than those undergoing hip replacement.
- Patients who were obese prior to joint replacement were more likely to lose weight than those who were of normal weight or overweight, but not obese.
- Overweight or obese females undergoing joint replacement were more likely to lose weight than their male or normal weight counterparts.
- Patients with higher preoperative activity scores were more likely to maintain their weight than to gain or lose weight.