No difference in health-related quality of life in hip osteoarthritis compared to degenerative lumbar instability at pre- and 1-year postoperatively: A prospective study of 101 patients

Background Total hip replacement (THR) is a very successful and refined surgical procedure when compared to crude bony fusion in degenerative lumbar segmental instability (LF). We compared the pre- and postoperative health-related quality of life status of THR and LF patients.

Patients and methods We prospectively studied 51 THR patients and 50 LF patients. The outcome parameters were SF-36 and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), measured preoperatively and at 1 year postoperatively. The status of the patients was compared to that of an age-matched healthy control group.

Results The preoperative SF-36 and ODI scores were similar between the groups, except for the subscale role emotional. One year postoperatively, only the differences in 3 subscales (physical functioning, role physical, and role emotional) and in the standardized physical component reached statistical significance; the THR-patients scored worse than the LF-patients. The improvements in SF-36 and ODI reached statistical significance in both groups.

Interpretation The differences in quality of life between the THR and LF patients were similar pre- and postoperatively. The quality of life of both cohorts improved considerably and significantly after the treatment, but they remained at a level significantly below that of a general age-matched population.