Shadyab AH, et al. - Researchers probed the relationships of body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and waist/hip ratio (WHR) with survival to age 85 years with mobility limitation or death before age 85 years among older women with total knee replacement (TKR) or total hip replacement (THR) for osteoarthritis (OA). An association of baseline general and abdominal obesity with increased risk of late-life mobility limitation was seen among older women who underwent THR or TKR for OA.

Methods

• Experts conducted a prospective study of women (ages 65-79 years at baseline) from the Women's Health Initiative, recruited during 1993-1998 and followed through 2012.
• They linked the women's Health Initiative data to Medicare claims data to determine TKR (n = 1,867) and THR (n = 944) for OA.
• After undergoing THR or TKR, women were followed for up to 18 years to determine mobility status at age 85 years.

Results

• Findings suggested that compared to normal-weight women, overweight, obese I, and obese II women with THR had significantly increased risk of survival to age 85 years with mobility limitation (P < 0.001 for linear trend), with the strongest risk among obese II women (odds ratio [OR] 4.37 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.96–9.74]).
• Increased risk of death before age 85 years was also seen in obese II women with THR.
• Findings suggested that increased risk of survival to age 85 years with mobility limitation (OR 1.65 [95% CI 1.17–2.33]) was seen in women with THR and WC >88 cm relative to ≤88 cm but not death before age 85 years.
• Experts noted an association of high BMI, WC, and WHR with significantly increased risk of late-life mobility limitation and death among women with TKR for OA.