What Is the Impact of Anti-Estrogen Therapy on Total Joint Arthroplasty Outcomes? A View into Women's Health After Breast Cancer.

The purpose of this study is to determine if differences exist in patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), revision rates, and postoperative health care utilization between individuals that have a history of taking anti-estrogen medication prior to total joint arthroplasty (TJA) and those who have not in matched cohorts. Patients undergoing primary TJA from 2015 to 2023 were reviewed retrospectively. Demographics, history of medication use, PROMs pre- and post-TJA, revision TJA history, and post-TJA hospital utilization were extracted from medical records. Propensity score matching was then performed at 10:1 control to patients with a history of taking anti-estrogen medication prior to TJA accounting for age, race, American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status classification, and body mass index. Patient PROMs, revision rate, and post-TJA hospital utilization were then compared. After applying exclusion criteria, stratifying the groups into total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA), and propensity score matching, the outcomes of 345 THAs and 549 TKAs were analyzed. Patients taking anti-estrogen medications who underwent THA had significantly higher Patient-Reported Outcome Measures Information System (PROMIS) Pain Interference scores; PROMIS Physical Function scores at 6 weeks, lower PROMIS Physical Function at 1 year; and higher rates of readmission at 90 days. There was no difference in PROMs or hospital utilization between groups in patients that underwent TKA. Patients with a history of taking anti-estrogen medications had meaningful improvement after THA and TKA. Although PROMs were similar between groups after TKA, PROMs suggest that patients taking anti-estrogen medication may have worse pain early after THA as well as worse overall function. (Journal of Surgical Orthopaedic Advances 34(3):142-151, 2025).