Surgically modifiable factors measured by computer-navigation together with patient-specific factors predict knee society score after total knee arthroplasty

BACKGROUND: The purpose was to investigate whether patient-specific factors (PSF) and surgically modifiable factors (SMF), measured by means of a computer-assisted navigation system, can predict the Knee Society Scores (KSS) after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). METHODS: Data from 99 patients collected during a randomized clinical trial were used for this secondary data analysis. The KSS scores of the patients were measured preoperatively and at 4-years follow-up. Multiple regression analyses were performed to investigate which combination of variables would be the best to predict the 4-years KSS scores. RESULTS: When considering SMF alone the combination of four of them significantly predicted the 4-years KSS-F score (p = 0.009), explaining 18 % of its variation. When considering only PSF the combination of age and body weight significantly predicted the 4-years KSS-F (p = 0.008), explaining 11 % of its variation. When considering both groups of predictors simultaneously the combination of three PSF and two SMF significantly predicted the 4-years KSS-F (p = 0.007), explaining 20 % of its variation. CONCLUSIONS: Younger age, better preoperative KSS-F scores and lower BMI before surgery, a positive tibial component slope and small changes in femoral offset were predictors of better KSS-F scores at 4-years.