Pain and function deteriorate in patients awaiting total joint arthroplasty that has been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic

Table 4 Pain and function responses compared between the continued demand group, defer group and receptive group¹

Current function in comparison to before TJA postponement	Continued demand group, n (%)	Defer group, n (%)	Receptive group, n (%)	P value
Functionality due to joint pain				0.043
Much less	15 (15.31)	0 (0)	9 (14.06)
Less	59 (60.20)	10 (50)	30 (46.88)
Same	19 (19.39)	6 (30)	24 (37.5)
More	2 (2.04)	3 (15)	0 (0)
Much more	3 (3.06)	1 (5)	1 (1.56)
Walking distance				0.118
Much less	21 (21.21)	2 (10)	7 (10.94)
Less	29 (29.29)	4 (20)	25 (39.06)
Same	46 (46.46)	11 (55)	31 (48.44)
More	2 (2.02)	3 (15)	1 (1.56)
Much more	1 (1.01)	0 (0)	0 (0)
Sitting				0.518
Much less	12 (12.12)	2 (11.11)	4 (6.25)
Less	29 (29.29)	4 (22.22)	23 (35.94)
Same	53 (53.54)	11 (61.11)	37 (57.81)
More	5 (5.05)	1 (5.56)	0 (0)
Sleep				0.643
Much less	13 (13.13)	3 (15)	9 (14.06)
Less	15 (15.15)	4 (20)	6 (9.38)
Same	50 (50.51)	10 (50)	43 (67.19)
More	14 (14.14)	1 (5)	5 (7.81)
Much more	7 (7.07)	2 (10)	1 (1.56)
Current pain in comparison to before TJA postponement	Continued demand group, n (%)	Defer group, n (%)	Receptive group, n (%)	P value
Joint pain				0.035
Decreased	10 (10.10)	3 (16.67)	10 (15.62)
Same	29 (29.29)	9 (50)	20 (31.25)
Increased	60 (60.61)	6 (33.33)	34 (53.12)
Access to pain medication				0.792
No	19	5	11
Yes	51	9	30
Need for pain medication				0.068
Much less	5 (5.26)	2 (10.53)	1 (1.67)
Less	7 (7.37)	4 (21.05)	1 (1.67)
Same	34 (35.79)	9 (47.37)	31 (51.67)
More	26 (27.37)	3 (15.79)	17 (28.33)
Much more	23 (24.21)	1 (5.26)	10 (16.67)
NRS pain score, mean (± SD)	Continued demand group	Defer group	Receptive group	P value
	7.68 ± 2.14	5.9 ± 3.2	7.24 ± 1.8	< 0.000

¹Continued demand (n = 100); Defer (n = 21); Receptive (n = 64). NRS: Numerical rating scale; SD: Standard deviation; TJA: Total joint arthroplasty.