Preoperative Veteran RAND-12 Mental Composite Score of >60 Associated With Increased Likelihood of Patient Satisfaction After Total Hip Arthroplasty

Background: The present study aimed to determine the distribution of Veterans RAND 12-Item health survey (VR-12) mental component scores (MCS) of patients undergoing primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) and the thresholds of VR-12 MCS scores that predict higher health care utilizations and 1-year patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs).

Methods: A prospective cohort of 4,194 primary THA patients (January 2016 to December 2019) were included. Multivariable and cubic spline regression models were used to test for associations between preoperative VR-12 MCS and postoperative outcomes, including: 90-day hospital resource utilization (nonhome discharge, prolonged length of stay [LOS](ie, ≥3 days), all-cause readmission), attainment of patient acceptable symptom state (PASS) at 1-year postoperative and substantial clinical benefit (SCB) in the hip disability osteoarthritis outcome score (HOOS)-pain and HOOS-physical short form.

Results: Lower VR-12 MCS was associated with older age, obesity, Black race, women, and smokers (all P < .001). Preoperative VR-12 MCS<20 was associated with more than twice the odds of nonhome discharge (odds ratio [OR]:2.31) and prolonged LOS (OR: 3.46). VR-12 MCS >60 was associated with higher odds of achieving PASS (OR: 2.00) and SCB in HOOS-joint related (JR) (OR: 1.16). Starting VR-12 MCS ≤40, there were exponentially higher odds of worse outcomes.

Conclusion: Low preoperative VR-12 MCS, specifically less than 40, may predict increased health care utilization. Furthermore, preoperative VR-12 MCS>60 predicts greater satisfaction at 1 year and higher odds of achieving SCB in HOOS-JR. Quantifiable thresholds for VR-12 MCS may aid in shared decision-making and patient counseling in setting expectations or may guide specific care pathway interventions to address mental health during THA.

Level of evidence: II.