To assess whether Sjogren's Syndrome (SS) is associated with outcomes after total knee or hip arthroplasty (TKA/THA).
We used the 1998-2014 U.S. National Inpatient Sample data. We performed multivariable-adjusted logistic regression analyses to assess the association of SS with healthcare utilization (hospital charges, length of hospital stay, discharge to non-home setting), and in-hospital complications (implant infection, revision, transfusion, mortality), controlling for important covariates and confounders. In sensitivity analyses, we additionally adjusted the main models for hospital location/teaching status, bed size, and region.
We examined 4,116,485 primary THAs and 8,127,282 primary TKAs performed from 1998 to 2014; 12,772 (0.2%) primary TKAs and 6222 (0.2%) primary THAs were done in people with SS. In multivariable-adjusted models, SS was associated with a statistically significant higher odds ratio (OR; 95% confidence interval (CI)) of discharge to a rehabilitation/inpatient facility post-THA, 1.13 (1.00, 1.28), but not post-TKA, 0.93 (0.86, 1.02). We noted no differences in the length of hospital stay or hospital charges. SS was associated with significantly higher adjusted odds of in-hospital transfusion post-THA, 1.37 (1.22, 1.55) and post-TKA, 1.21 (1.10, 1.34). No significant differences by SS diagnosis were seen in hospital stay, hospital charges implant infection, implant revision or mortality rates.
People with SS had higher transfusion rate post-TKA/THA, and higher rate of discharge to non-home setting post-THA. The lack of association of SS with post-arthroplasty complications should reassure patients, surgeons and policy-makers about the utility of TKA/THA in people with SS undergoing these procedures.