Does Knee Arthroplasty Have a Beneficial Effect on Return to Work in Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis who Receive Long-Term Disability Benefits in the Netherlands?

Optimal timing of knee arthroplasty (KA) is complex: operating at a younger age increases life time risk of revision, while delay results in an increased risk of job loss. This study evaluates whether disability benefits recipients due to knee osteoarthritis have an increased odds of returning to work (RTW) following KA.

A retrospective cohort study was performed among long-term disability benefits recipients due to knee osteoarthritis using data of the Dutch Employee Insurance Agency. Logistic regression assessed whether recipients with KA had a higher odds of RTW in 10 years following start of disability benefits, compared to those without KA.

A total of 159 participants were included. During 10-year follow up, 42% had received KA and 37% had returned to work. No association was observed between KA and RTW (OR 1.39, 95% CI 0.62–3.12). Prognostic factors for RTW were being the main breadwinner (OR 7.93, 95% CI 2.95–21.32) and classification as 100% work disability (OR 0.20, 95% CI 0.09–0.45).

KA has no beneficial effect on RTW among patients with knee osteoarthritis granted long-term disability in the Netherlands. For RTW, KA is probably best performed within the two years of paid sick leave before long-term disability is assessed in the Netherlands.