Effects of preoperative psychological stress on selected parameters in older patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty.

Background: Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is an increasingly common treatment for older patients with hip osteoarthritis. Psychological stress is common before THA, although its clinical effects on selected parameters such as joint function, quality of life, and postoperative complications remain unclear.

Aim: To investigate the effects of preoperative psychological stress on selected parameters in older patients who underwent THA.

Methods: Ninety older patients who underwent THA between January 2023 and August 2024 were divided into two groups by their preoperative self-rated anxiety scale and self-rated depression scale scores, including high-stress (n = 42) and low-stress (n = 48). The postoperative joint function, short form-36 health survey (SF-36) score, incidence of postoperative complications, and other indicators were compared between the two groups. Pearson's correlation coefficient analysis of the relationship among preoperative psychological stress, quality of life, and postoperative complications was performed.

Results: Postoperative joint function and quality of life were lower in the high-stress group than they were in the low-stress group (P < 0.05). The incidence of postoperative complications was higher in the high-stress group (29.27%) than it was in the low-stress group (9.30%) (P < 0.05). Correlation analysis revealed that psychological stress was correlated with the Harris hip and SF-36 scores. Total scores on the scale, including physical function, physical pain, general health, mental health, social function, vitality, and emotional function, were negatively correlated (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: Preoperative psychological stress results in adverse effects on quality of life and complications in older patients undergoing THA. Therefore, pre-operative psychological interventions should be strengthened to improve post-operative outcomes.