Biological Link Between Anxiety and Outcomes Post Knee Arthroplasty

Launched by ROBERT JONES AND AGNES HUNT ORTHOPAEDIC AND DISTRICT NHS TRUST · Jul 30, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This study is looking at whether anxiety or depression might affect how well people recover after knee or hip replacement surgery. Researchers want to find out if there is a biological reason—specifically, inflammation inside the joint—that could explain why some patients with anxiety or depression have more pain or difficulty after surgery. To do this, they will collect small samples of joint tissue and fluid during the operation, along with blood samples, and ask patients to fill out simple questionnaires about their pain, mood, and quality of life before surgery and again 3 and 6 months afterward.

The study is open to adults 18 years and older who are scheduled for knee or hip replacement at a specific hospital and have a body weight within a certain range (BMI under 35). People with certain conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, those who smoke or use certain medications, won’t be eligible. If you take part, you won’t have extra hospital visits beyond your usual care. The extra tests mostly involve giving a bit more blood during routine blood draws and answering questionnaires about how you feel. This study doesn’t test new treatments but aims to better understand how mental health might influence recovery after joint surgery.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • 1. Aged 18 years or older.
• • 2. Scheduled to undergo elective total knee replacement (TKR) or total hip replacement (THR) at the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital.
• • 3. Body mass index (BMI) less than 35
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • 1. Rheumatoid arthritis or inflammatory arthropathies.
• • 2. Patients on Steroids, Aspirin, or Cox inhibitors.
• • 3. Smokers or vapers.