The Role of Hypertension in Cartilage Restoration: Increased Failure Rate After Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation but Not After Osteochondral Allograft Transplantation

Objectives. The purpose of this study was to examine whether patients with diagnosed hypertension have an increased risk of graft failure following cartilage repair with either autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) or osteochondral allograft transplantation (OCA). We hypothesized that hypertension is related to higher ACI and OCA graft failure. Design. Patients who underwent ACI or OCA transplantation between February 2009 and December 2016 were included in this study. Inclusion criteria were (1) at least 2 years’ follow-up, (2) available information related to the living habits (smoking and medication status), and (3) available information related to the presence of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, or hyperlipidemia. To identify potential independent risk factors of graft failure, univariate screening was performed and factors with significance at a level of P < 0.1 were entered in multivariate logistic regression models. Results. A total of 368 patients (209 ACI and 159 OCA) were included into our study. In the ACI group, 61 patients’ (29.1%) graft failed. Univariate screening identified older age, female gender, defect size, higher prevalence of hypertension, and smoking as a predictor of graft failure. Following, multivariate logistic regression revealed female gender (odds ratio [OR] 1.02, P = 0.048), defect size (OR 1.07, P = 0.035), and hypertension (OR 3.73, P = 0.023) as significant independent risk factors predicting graft failure after ACI. In the OCA group, 29 patients’ (18.2%) graft failed and none of the included factors demonstrated to be a potential risk factor for graft failure. Conclusion. Hypertension, defect size, and female gender seem to predict ACI graft failure but not OCA failure. © The Author(s) 2020.