Patient reported outcomes after high tibial osteotomy show comparable results at different ages in the mid-term to long-term follow-up.

Abstract

BACKGROUND\nFew studies have evaluated the impact of age on patient-reported outcomes in the long-term follow-up after high tibial valgus osteotomy (HTO). The purpose of this study is to assess the association between age at surgery and patient-reported clinical outcomes in the mid-term to long-term follow-up of HTO.\n\n\nMATERIALS AND METHODS\nWe mailed the 2011 Knee Society score (KSS) questionnaires to 234 consecutive patients (295 knees) who had undergone closing-wedge HTO, and 158 patients (202 knees, 68.5%) returned a completed questionnaire. The cohort was divided into two groups depending on the age at the time of surgery, and pairs matched the follow-up period and sex was created. The mean follow-up period was approximately 12 years. KSS scores at the final follow-up were compared between two groups using the Student t test and chi-square test, and the survival rates were calculated using Kaplan-Meier survival curves.\n\n\nRESULTS\nThe symptom, satisfaction, and expectation scores were not significantly different between the ≤64-year-old patients and ≥65-year-old patients. The functional activities score was significantly lower in older patients than in younger patients. The overall survival rates of HTO were 99.1\xa0±\xa00.4% at 5 years, 94.4\xa0±\xa01.2% at 10 years, and 84.6\xa0±\xa02.7% at 15 years. There was no significant difference in the survival rate after HTO between the two groups divided by the age (p\xa0=\xa00.602).\n\n\nCONCLUSIONS\nPain relief and satisfaction after HTO in older patients were comparable to those in younger patients in the mid-term to long-term follow-up, although the functional activity was affected by age.