The Impact of Frailty on Outcomes Following Primary Total Hip Arthroplasty in Patients of Different Sex and Race: Is Frailty Equitably Detrimental?

BACKGROUND: Whether frailty impacts total hip arthroplasty (THA) patients of different races or sex equally is unknown. This study aimed to assess the influence of frailty on outcomes following primary THA in patients of differing race and sex. METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study utilizing a national database (2015-2019) to identify frail (≥2 points on the modified frailty index-5) patients undergoing primary THA. One-to-one matching for each frail cohort of interest (race: Black, Hispanic, Asian, versus White (non-Hispanic), respectively; and sex: men versus women) was performed to diminish confounding. The 30-day complications and resource utilizations were then compared between cohorts. RESULTS: There was no difference in the occurrence of at least 1 complication (P > .05) among frail patients of differing race. However, frail Black patients had increased odds of postoperative transfusion (odds ratio [OR]: 1.34, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02-1.77), deep vein thrombosis (OR: 2.61, 95% CI: 1.08-6.27), as well as >2-day hospitalization and nonhome discharge (P < .001). Frail women had higher odds of having at least 1 complication (OR: 1.67, 95% CI: 1.47-1.89), nonhome discharge, readmission, and reoperation (P < .05). Contrarily, frail men had higher 30-day cardiac arrest (0.2% versus 0.0%, P = .020) and mortality (0.3 versus 0.1%, P = .002). CONCLUSION: Frailty appears to have an overall equitable influence on the occurrence of at least 1 complication in THA patients of different races, although different rates of some individual, specific complications were identified. For instance, frail Black patients experienced increased deep vein thrombosis and transfusion rates relative to their non-Hispanic White counterparts. Contrarily, frail women, relative to frail men, have lower 30-day mortality despite increased complication rates.

Duke Scholars

Author Andrew Schwartz Orthopaedic Surgery