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J Arthroplasty. 2006 Aug;21(5):636-41

Influence of hemoglobin levels on inpatient rehabilitation outcomes after total knee arthroplasty.

• Diamond PT,
• Conaway MR,
• Mody SH,
• Bhirangi K.

Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22908-1004, USA.


This retrospective study examined the influence of hemoglobin (Hb) on the outcomes of 184 acute inpatient rehabilitation patients admitted to a single university-based inpatient rehabilitation facility after primary total knee arthroplasty between 2001 and 2003. Patient function was measured using the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) instrument. Average length of stay was 9.4 days. Total FIM score increased from 81.5 to 110.8. Mean baseline Hb was 10.5 g/dL. Multivariate analyses demonstrated that a higher Hb at baseline was associated with significantly shorter length of stay (P = .004) and greater FIM efficiency (change in total FIM score/length of stay) (P = .04). Hemoglobin is associated with rehabilitation outcomes after total knee arthroplasty; additional research into the influence of blood management strategies on rehabilitation outcomes is warranted.

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Sharon Grant
Editorial Team