Publication:

Functional outcome, disability and quality of life after primary total hip arthroplasty: a prospective cohort study from North India

Background Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is an established intervention for end-stage hip diseases. While functional outcomes are well documented, there are limited Indian data comprehensively evaluating disability and quality of life using validated patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs).  This study aimed to prospectively assess functional outcomes, disability, and quality of life following primary total hip arthroplasty in a North Indian population.

Methods In this prospective cohort study, 56 patients who underwent primary THA at Dr. Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College during the period of January 2022 to October 2023 were evaluated preoperatively and at 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months,1 year and 1.5 years postoperatively.  Functional outcomes were assessed using the Harris hip score (HHS), disability using the World Health Organization (WHO) disability assessment schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0), and quality of life using the WHOQOL-BREF. Statistical analysis was performed using a paired t-test. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05.

Results The mean HHS improved from 48.25 preoperatively to 89.25 at the final follow-up, representing an improvement of 86% in function. The mean WHODAS score decreased from 37.6 to 5.58 at the final follow-up, representing an 85% reduction in disability. All WHOQOL-BREF domains showed significant improvement.

Conclusion Primary THA significantly improves hip function, reduces disability, and enhances the quality of life. A Comprehensive PROM -based assessment provides a multidimensional evaluation of surgical outcomes in the Indian population.