Does Medically Supervised Weight Loss Prior to Total Knee Arthroplasty Improve Patient-Reported Pain and Physical Function?

Abstract

BackgroundWeight loss is commonly recommended before total knee arthroplasty (TKA) despite inconsistent evidence for better outcomes. This study sought to examine the impacts of preoperative weight loss on patient-reported and adverse outcomes among TKA patients supervised by a medical weight management clinic. MethodsThis study retrospectively analyzed patients who underwent medical weight management supervision within 18 months before TKA comparing patients who did and did not have clinically relevant weight loss. Preoperative body mass indices, demographics, Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System physical function and pain interference scores, pain intensity scores, and adverse outcomes were extracted. Multivariable linear regressions were performed to determine if preoperative weight loss correlated with patient-reported outcomes after controlling for confounders. ResultsThere were 90 patients, 75.6% women, who had a mean age of 65 years (range, 42-82) and were analyzed. There were 51 (56.7%) patients who underwent clinically relevant weight loss with a mean weight loss of 10.4% and experienced no difference in adverse outcomes. Preoperative weight loss predicted significantly improved 3-month postoperative physical function (β = 15.2 [13.0-17.3], P < .001), but not pain interference (β = −18.9 [-57.1-19.4], P = .215) or pain intensity (β = −1.8 [-4.9-1.2], P = .222) scores. ConclusionWe found that medically supervised preoperative weight loss predicted improvement in physical function 3 months after TKA. This weight loss caused no major adverse effects. Further research is needed to understand the causal relationships between preoperative weight loss, medical supervision, and outcome after TKA and to elucidate potential longer-term benefits in a larger sample.