Study Shocker: Smoking Not a TJR Risk Factor

Another presupposition is challenged. The reported association of smoking with the risk of undergoing a total joint replacement (TJR) due to osteoarthritis is not consistent enough to qualify as a risk factor, according to a major study in Australia.

Australian researchers examined the electronic records of 54, 288 men and women who were initially recruited for the Second Australian National Blood Pressure study. They linked those records to the Australian Orthopaedic Association National Joint Replacement Registry to detect cases of total hip replacement (THR) or total knee replacement (TKR) due to osteoarthritis.

The result? They found an inverse association between smoking and risk of THR and TKR in both men and women. Compared to non-smokers, male and female smokers were 40% and 30% less likely to undergo a TJR. This significant association persisted after controlling for age, co-morbidities, body mass index, physical exercise, and socioeconomic disadvantage.

They did find that the overweight and obese were significantly more likely to undergo a TJR compared to those with normal weight. However, socioeconomic status was not independently associated with a risk of either a THR or TKR.