Arthritis and rheumatism
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Arthritis and rheumatism · Feb 2009
Multicenter Study Comparative StudyVariation in age and physical status prior to total knee and hip replacement surgery: a comparison of centers in Australia and Europe.
To investigate whether variation exists in the preoperative age, pain, stiffness, and physical function of people undergoing total knee replacement (TKR) and total hip replacement (THR) at several centers in Australia and Europe. ⋯ The large variations in age and preoperative status indicate substantial differences in the timing of joint replacement across the centers studied, with potential for compromised surgical outcomes due to premature or delayed surgery. Possible contributing factors include patient preferences, the absence of concrete indications for surgery, and the capacity of the health care systems.