Survival of osteoarthritis patients after primary hip and knee arthroplasty, compared to the general population
Approval date: March 2021
Starting date: December 1st 2021
RGHH Nelissen, MGJ Gademan, WB van den Hout, TPM Vliet Vlieland, KR Bhowmik
Research proposal abstract
Several studies outside the Netherlands have shown the surprising result that overall survival after total joint arthroplasty is better than overall survival in the entire general population (matched for gender and age). It is unlikely that this better survival is due to the arthroplasty itself or to the osteoarthritis. Instead, we hypothesise that it is a selective group of patients that receives arthroplasty; a selection of patients with otherwise favourable health and life expectancy. Indeed, lower arthroplasty rates have been reported among older patients and those from poorer socioeconomic backgrounds.
Whether indeed patients with otherwise favourable life expectancy are selected for arthroplasty will be investigated by first establishing if overall survival in this group is better than in the general Dutch population. If so, it will be investigated whether the difference is more pronounced among older patients and could be explained by better health at the time of the arthroplasty. We expect these insights will increase awareness of health inequalities in the Netherland, which could initiate a process towards better
preoperative consultation and a more equitable healthcare in the Netherlands.