A study in Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery investigated racial disparities in total knee arthroplasty revision rates.
The researchers conducted a systematic literature review, including a meta-analysis of 451,960 patients who underwent TKA in the United States.
Here's what you need to know:
1. Of the patients who underwent TKA, 7 percent later received revision surgery.
2. Overall, black patients had a significantly higher risk of revision TKA than whites.
3. However, some studies with overlapping research populations reported different outcomes, in part due to whether researchers adjusted for insurance eligibility and socioeconomic status.
The researchers concluded, "Blacks in the United States are at higher risk of revision TKA than whites," however, "socioeconomic status contributed to revision risk and is an important confounder in analyses of race."