Obesity, depression and factors associated to the quality of life in total knee arthroplasty

Background: Knee osteoarthritis can be accompanied by depression and obesity, which could affect the quality of life (QOL) and function after a total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Objective: To compare the QOL in subjects with depression and obesity 5 years after TKA. Methods: Cross-sectional study of prospectively collected data, with two and three groups based on depression and obesity status. Sociodemographic variables, QOL and pain were compared. Depression was evaluated with a screening geriatric depression questionnaire used in the Mexican Health and Age Study (CENASEM). QOL was evaluated with the health survey SF-36. Results: 378 participants were reviewed, 266 were included. Depression was detected in 24.1%, female (p < 0.001), with comorbidity (p = 0.04) and anxiety (p < 0.001), and the QOL score in subjects with depression was lower (p < 0.001). Obese subjects had greater pain (analogous visual scale 3 vs. 2; p = 0.002) and affection of the vitality domain in the QOL (75 vs. 80; p = 0.02). Conclusions: Evaluating depression and QOL with questionnaires such as CENASEM and SF-36 in elderly subjects who undergo ATR should be indispensable, since detecting and treating depression could increase QOL and function. Obese elderly with TKA may present greater pain.