Do lifestyle factors affect patient reported clinical outcomes after total knee replacement surgery? A feasibility cohort study (PRO-Knee).

AIMS: To evaluate the feasibility of a substantive cohort study to determine whether modifiable lifestyle factors, including smoking, physical inactivity, alcohol consumption and being overweight, affect patient-reported clinical outcomes after total knee replacement surgery. METHODS: Adults awaiting total knee replacement surgery were recruited pre-operatively and completed self-reported questionnaires at baseline and 3- and 6-months post-surgery. Feasibility outcomes, including recruitment, retention and response rate of the primary outcome questionnaire were analysed descriptively. RESULTS: 40 participants were recruited from 183 eligible patients (22%). 87.5% (35/40) participants returned questionnaires at 6-months. 85% (34/40) of participants were overweight (BMI > 24.9), 25% (10/40) drank alcohol (AUDIT-C > 4), 5% (2/40) smoked tobacco and 67.5% (27/40) were physically inactive (GPPAQ classification of 'moderately inactive', or 'inactive'). CONCLUSION: Modifiable lifestyle factors including smoking, alcohol use, physical inactivity and being overweight are highly prevalent in patients waiting for total knee replacement. Based on this study, a future substantive cohort study investigating the effect of lifestyle factors on clinical outcomes post total knee replacement in the UK NHS is feasible.