A presurgical blood test can predict how quickly hip replacement patients will recover, according to a study published Oct. 14 in Annals of Surgery.
The study, led by Stanford (Calif.) Medicine researchers, involved 49 hip replacement patients between 57 and 68 years old. Each patient had blood drawn before surgery, and the researchers built an algorithm that could accurately predict recovery times based on the presence and activity of specific immune cells in the blood.
The patients were also fitted with smartwatches that recorded their activity before and after the procedures.
The study found that those with the strongest immune function before surgery recovered 34 percent faster than those with weaker immune function.