A NEW study suggests that patients with obesity who undergo knee or hip replacements may reduce their risk of revision surgery by losing weight after the procedure with the help of anti-obesity medications.
The study analysed data from nearly 3,700 patients, examining the impact of postoperative weight loss within the first year after starting medications like orlistat, glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs), sibutramine, and rimonabant. Results showed that patients who lost at least 10% of their body weight had a significantly lower risk of needing revision surgery within five and ten years. The five-year revision rate was 5.6% for those who maintained or gained weight, 4.4% for those with moderate weight loss (2%-10%), and just 3.7% for those with large weight loss (≥10%).
Further analysis revealed that the benefit was present for both knee and hip replacements. Patients undergoing knee replacements saw a 45% reduction in revision risk with small-to-moderate weight loss and a 51% reduction with large weight loss. For hip replacements, large weight loss was associated with a 47% lower revision risk.
Given the rising rates of obesity and the increasing number of joint replacements being performed, these findings highlight a potential strategy to improve long-term surgical outcomes. The authors suggest that incorporating weight management into postoperative care could enhance implant longevity and reduce the need for additional surgeries.
Aleksandra Zurowska, EMJ
Reference
Xie D et al. Postoperative Weight Loss After Antiobesity Medications and Revision Risk After Joint Replacement. JAMA Netw Open. 2025;8(2):e2461200.
