HAKA: Routine Follow-Up at 1 Year After Hip- or Knee Arthroplasty: Wasting Resources or Appropriate Healthcare? (HAKA 1year FU)

JointResearch

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Hip Arthroplasty, Total; Knee Arthroplasty, Total

Treatments: Other: Check-Up on Demand (COD); Other: Routine Follow-Up (RFU)

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06971757

10330042310003 (Other Grant/Funding Number)

NL-009246

Details and patient eligibility

About

After undergoing total hip or total knee arthroplasty, current guidelines recommend routine follow-up with an X-ray within 3 months and again at 1 year. Follow-up at 5 years (for hip arthroplasties) or every 5 years (for knee arthroplasties) is also considered worthwhile according to the guideline. However, these follow-up appointments require considerable time from patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals, and it is unclear whether they are truly beneficial. It is possible that a single follow-up within 3 months is sufficient. This could potentially prevent over 100,000 unnecessary hospital visits per year, resulting in significant cost savings. If patients or healthcare providers have concerns, they can always request an additional follow-up.

The HAKA trial consists of three different work packages (WPs). This trial (WP1) investigates the 1-year follow-up, WP2 examines the 10-year follow-up, and WP3 is a qualitative study exploring the experiences and perceptions of patients and healthcare professionals. The aim of the HAKA trial is to safely reduce routine follow-up appointments after total hip or knee arthroplasty and to revise current clinical guidelines accordingly.

Enrollment: 1,000 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 50+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Painful and disabled hip or knee joint resulting from osteoarthritis
• Scheduled for primary THA or TKA surgery
• Age 50 years or older at the time of THA or TKA
• Capable and willing to complete questionnaires
• Proficient in Dutch or English
• Willing to provide informed consent

Exclusion criteria

• Other indication for surgery than osteoarthritis
• Scheduled for hip or knee revision arthroplasty, except a conversion from unicompartmental knee arthroplasty to TKA or from hip hemiarthroplasty/resurfacing to THA
• Already participating in this study due to a previous hip or knee surgery

Trial design

Primary purpose: Diagnostic

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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1,000 participants in 2 patient groups

Routine Follow-Up (RFU)

Other group

Description:

X-ray and clinical visit within 3 months and at 1 year after surgery.

Treatment:

Other: Routine Follow-Up (RFU)

Check-Up on Demand (COD)

Other group

Description:

X-ray and clinical visit within 3 months and only at 1 year when requested by the patient or healthcare provider.

Treatment:

Other: Check-Up on Demand (COD)