'People factors'' Research 2025

LIFETIME HIP & KNEE

Read on: lifetimehip.com

Read time: 1.5 minutes

#122: People factors

So, the robots are not taking over .

AND some implant choices do make a difference.

3 papers from last year that highlight the importance of Bodyweight v Strength.

1. Metabolic Syndrome => Knee Osteoarthritis (OA) progression

What is Metabolic Syndrome..I hear you ask..?

It's a syndrome that requires 3 or more of:

Becoming more common. And it's bad news.

This cluster increases the chances of:

..and from this study of 6,138 people we can add Knee OA to that list.

No surprise really..

And further analysis showed this was mainly down to ⬆️ BMI or bodyweight..

2. Weight loss injections ⬇️ Knee pain

Again, no surprise.

BUT nice to read this quality Randomised Control Trial (RCT)** in a quality journal (NEJM).

407 people, high BMI=40(!), 2 groups, 68-weeks.

Injections v control..

These GLP1 agonists do make a BIG difference.

BUT interesting to look at placebo group, who also..

Lost weight AND improved pain + function WITH FEWER serious adverse events.

**AND let’s take care when reading this => Novo Nordisk, who make this particular weight loss drug, funded the study!

3. Resistance training v Total hip replacement

Same, high-quality journal, and..

Unsurprisingly hip replacement (THR) came out on top in people with severe hip osteoarthritis (OA).

BUT a word or two for the strength training...

At 6 months the training group’s pain had improved.

So, I wonder about the conclusion of this paper...

A conclusion that sums up healthcare’s approach to many problems..

‘..total hip replacement resulted in a clinically important, superior reduction in hip pain and improved hip function..’

Now the conclusion of any paper needs to be, by definition, as clear as can be.

Papers can't ramble on like I do in these Newsletters :)

BUT this conclusion gives the wrong take home message.

THEN why not do BOTH..?!

..that is my take home from this well done RCT.

So, my take is that people factors have it, over the implants, with the robots bringing up the rear.

Next week..

Let me know if these research updates are useful..

A good Dutch paper, a couple of papers on waiting lists and 2x papers that surgeons don't often talk about coming up.

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Duchy Hospital
Truro
TR1 3UP
United Kingdom