Preoperative chronic opiate use associated with a worse joint-specific function and quality of life before and after total hip and knee arthroplasty.

Abstract

Aims: The aim of this study was to assess whether chronic pre-arthroplasty use of strong opiates impacted the pre- and postoperative joint-specific function, quality of life (QoL), pain scores, and satisfaction in those undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA) or total knee arthroplasty (TKA).

Methods: This prospective study assessed 1,487 patients (THA n = 729; TKA n = 758). Preoperative opiate use of more than a month was used to define the opioid group. Patient demographics, comorbidities, Oxford Hip Score (OHS), Oxford Knee Score (OKS), and EuroQol five-dimension questionnaire (EQ-5D) scores were collected preoperatively and at six months postoperatively. Patient satisfaction with their joint was assessed at six months.

Results: The opioid groups consisted of 95 patients in both the THA (13.0%) and TKA (12.5%) cohorts. Pre- and postoperative OHS, OKS, and EQ-5D were clinically (greater than the minimal clinically important difference) and statistically (p < 0.001) significantly worse for the opioid groups undergoing THA and TKA. The opioid group was independently associated with a significantly worse improvement in OHS (-3.0, 95% CI -4.8 to -1.2; p = 0.001) and EQ-5D (-0.089, 95% CI -0.132 to -0.041; p < 0.001) for those undergoing THA, but no significant (OKS, p = 0.650 and EQ-5D, p = 0.485) association was demonstrated in the TKA cohort. There was no difference in satisfaction with their arthroplasty between opioid and opiate-naive groups undergoing THA (p = 0.133) or TKA (p = 0.797).

Conclusion: Preoperative opiate use was associated with clinically significantly worse pre- and postoperative joint-specific function and QoL. Those undergoing THA had a clinically worse improvement in their joint-specific function, but this was not observed in those undergoing TKA. However, patients were equally satisfied with outcomes.