Role of Marital Status in Patient Recovery after Total Knee and Hip Arthroplasty

Background:The influence of marital status on patient reported outcomes (PROMs) in joint replacement remains ambiguous.Various studies have concluded that married patients fare better according to several postoperative variables; however, few studies have assessed marital status's correlation to joint function.Thus, this study investigates the association between marital status and PROMs after total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA).Methods: A retrospective review was conducted on all THA and TKA cases at a single site by seven surgeons.Patients were stratified by marital status (married or unmarried) and assessed on PROMs such as the Hip Disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score for Joint Replacement (HOOS JR), Knee Disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score for Joint Replacement (KOOS JR), and Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS-10).Additional endpoints included length of hospital stay, hospital readmissions, and inpatient morphine milligram equivalents (MMEs).Results: No significant differences were observed within the joint-specific functional PROMs (KOOS JR and HOOS JR) at any time point, nor for TKA patients on the PROMIS-10.THA patients did report significant differences on PROMIS-10 physical component at preoperative as well as twelve months postoperative.Mental PROMIS-10 differences were observed at six and twelve months postoperative.Married patients had reduced length of stays compared to unmarried, but no other clinical differences were observed.Conclusion: Marital status did not significantly affect the jointspecific PROMs of total joint arthroplasty patients.Orthopedic surgeons and care teams should conduct a holistic analysis of patients, including their support and candidacy external to marital status.