Individuals with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who have primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) are at higher risk for implant infection, discharge to an inpatient facility, more expensive hospital bills, and increased blood transfusions than people without SLE, according to a study recently published in Lupus.

This retrospective study included 4,116,485 US hospitalizations for primary THA between 1998 and 2014. Of these, 0.5% (n=22,557) had SLE. Separate logistic regression models were used to examine the relationship between SLE and adverse postoperative events (transfusion, THA revision, implant infection, and mortality) and utilization of health care (hospital length of stay >3 days, discharge to inpatient facility, and total hospital charges).

For the full study please click here.