Importance of self-rated health and mental well-being in predicting health outcomes following total joint replacement surgery for osteoarthritis

The impact of allergies on patient-reported outcomes after total hip and knee arthroplasty: a systematic review and meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

Metal hypersensitivity has been associated with persistent symptoms after total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA), despite successful joint replacement. Allergies frequently co-occur and have been linked to psychiatric disturbances such as anxiety. There is a knowledge gap regarding the effect of allergies, including metal hypersensitivity, on patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) after THA and TKA. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of allergies including metal hypersensitivity on PROMs in patients undergoing THA and TKA.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A systematic search PROSPERO (CRD42023475972) was conducted using PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, and Cochrane databases. Studies that compared allergic and non-allergic adults undergoing primary THA or TKA and reported PROMs were included. Methodological quality was assessed using the MINORS criteria. The mean differences (MD) and standardized mean differences (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Eight studies, involving 33,808 patients, were included.

RESULTS

For functional outcomes assessed using SF-12, SF-36, KOOS JR, and HOOS JR, allergic patients demonstrated significantly worse scores (SMD - 0.23, 95% CI -0.36 to -0.09). The WOMAC functional scale also demonstrated poorer results in allergic patients (MD 2.49, 95% CI 0.64 4.35). For pain assessed using the WOMAC pain scale, allergic patients reported significantly greater pain (MD 1.04, 95% CI 0.46 1.62). Changes in mental status assessed using the SF-12 and SF-36 did not show significant differences between the groups (MD -0.46, 95% CI -1.40 to 0.47). In subgroup analysis, patients in the THA subgroup showed significantly worse outcomes (MD -7.20, 95% CI -12.97 - -1.43).

CONCLUSION

This meta-analysis found that patients with allergies, including metal hypersensitivity, generally had worse functional outcomes after THA and TKA than patients without allergies. Further research is required to confirm these findings. Preoperative allergy screening can identify individuals at risk of treatment optimization.

Patients' experience on pain outcomes after hip arthroplasty: insights from an information tool based on registry data

BACKGROUND

Arthroplasty registries are rarely used to inform encounters between clinician and patient. This study is part of a larger one which aimed to develop an information tool allowing both to benefit from previous patients' experience after total hip arthroplasty (THA). This study focuses on generating the information tool specifically for pain outcomes.

METHODS

Data from the Geneva Arthroplasty Registry (GAR) about patients receiving a primary elective THA between 1996 and 2019 was used. Selected outcomes were identified from patient and surgeon surveys: pain walking, climbing stairs, night pain, pain interference, and pain medication. Clusters of patients with homogeneous outcomes at 1, 5, and 10 years postoperatively were generated based on selected predictors evaluated preoperatively using conditional inference trees (CITs).

RESULTS

Data from 6,836 THAs were analysed and 14 CITs generated with 17 predictors found significant (p < 0.05). Baseline WOMAC pain score, SF-12 self-rated health (SRH), number of comorbidities, SF-12 mental component score, and body mass index (BMI) were the most common predictors. Outcome levels varied markedly by clusters whilst predictors changed at different time points for the same outcome. For example, 79% of patients with good to excellent SRH and less than moderate preoperative night pain reported absence of night pain at 1 year after THA; in contrast, for those with fair/poor SHR this figure was 50%. Also, clusters of patients with homogeneous levels of night pain at 1 year were generated based on SRH, Charnley, WOMAC night and pain scores, whilst those at 10 years were based on BMI alone.

CONCLUSIONS

The information tool generated under this study can provide prospective patients and clinicians with valuable and understandable information about the experiences of "patients like them" regarding their pain outcomes.

Patients With Depression and/or Anxiety Having Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair Show Decreased Number of Prescriptions and Number of Psychotherapy Sessions in the Year After Surgery

PURPOSE

To determine whether the utilization of psychological treatments changes after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (RCR) for patients with preoperative depression and/or anxiety.

METHODS

The Truven Healthcare Marketscan database was used to identify patients who underwent arthroscopic RCR between January 2009 and December 2016. We included all patients with diagnosis codes associated with either depression or anxiety before RCR. Patients were excluded if they did not have complete insurance coverage for 1 year before or after surgery, or if they had arthroscopic RCR in the year before the index surgical procedure. We compared the proportion of patients with preoperative depression or anxiety who filled a prescription and had psychotherapy procedural codes in the year before and the year after arthroscopic RCR.

RESULTS

A total of 170,406 patients who underwent RCR were identified, of which depression and/or anxiety was found in 46,737 patients (43.7% male). Of the 46,737 patients, 19.6% filled a prescription for a depression/anxiety medication at least once in the year before surgery. Of this subset of patients, 41.5% did not fill a prescription for depression or anxiety medication after surgery, whereas 32.6% continued medication use but demonstrated a median 30-day reduction in the number of days' worth of medication. Similarly, 13.1% of patients were attending psychotherapy sessions preoperatively, but 76.6% of those patients either stopped or reduced the amount of psychotherapy sessions in the year following RCR.

CONCLUSIONS

The number of prescriptions and psychotherapy sessions decreased in the year after RCR for patients with preoperative diagnoses of depression and/or anxiety.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level IV, case series.

Postoperative psychological factors and quality of life but not shoulder brace adherence affect clinical outcomes after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair

BACKGROUND

Despite the high prevalence, there is no consensus for postsurgical management after rotator cuff repair. We aimed to assess the impact of psychological well-being on patients who underwent rotator cuff repair. We also investigated correlations and possible predictors between patient demographics and adherence to the use of the shoulder brace and outcomes in terms of shoulder functionality and quality of life.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective study with prospective data collection enrolling 120 consecutive patients who underwent shoulder arthroscopy for rotator cuff tear repair. Each patient was clinically evaluated after a mean follow-up of 24.2 (±9.8) months using (1) the Disability of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) scale, (2) the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), (3) the Rotator Cuff Quality of Life (RC-QoL), (4) the visual analog scale, and (5) the Medical Adherence Measure.

RESULTS

The final sample consisted of 100 patients (45 females, 45%) averaging 60.9 (±8.5) years. The average brace wearing time was 3.4 (±0.6) weeks, with an adherence superior to 80% in 84% of cases, and 96% of patients were living with family members. The mean postoperative DASH scores were 20.1 (±16.7), 23.4 (±25), and 18.9 (±21.5) for the general, work, and sport sections, respectively. The mean Medical Adherence Measure score reached 72.5 (±14.2) points, and the RC-QoL mean score was 30.4% (±20.5). The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Anxiety and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Depression scores' continuous mean values were 5.1 (±3.4) and 3.9 (±3.6), respectively. The DASH, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Anxiety, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Depression, and RC-QoL scores directly correlated with each other, and all these questionnaires directly correlated with the visual analog scale scores. Moreover, we found a direct correlation (r = 0.204, P = .033) between the female sex and adherence to the brace and a direct correlation (r = 0.242, P = .015) between adherence to the brace and the number of weeks it was worn according to the medical recommendation. A correlation between lower educational qualifications and poorer outcomes was found. No correlation emerged between adherence to the brace and functional results. According to the regression analysis, diabetes was found to be a predictor of worse postoperative DASH scores (β = 0.245, P = 0.28).

CONCLUSION

A lower perceived quality of life was associated with worse functional results, anxiety and depression symptoms, and pain after rotator cuff repair surgery. The adherence to the use of the shoulder brace was associated with the female sex and a longer prognosis, but no correlation emerged between adherence to the brace and functional outcomes.

The relationship between pre-surgery self-rated health and changes in functional and mental health in older adults: insights from a prospective observational study

BACKGROUND

Elective surgeries are among the most common health stressors in later life and put a significant risk at functional and mental health, making them an important target of research into healthy aging and physical resilience. Large-scale longitudinal research mostly conducted in non-clinical samples provided support of the predictive value of self-rated health (SRH) for both functional and mental health. Thus, SRH may have the potential to predict favorable adaptation processes after significant health stressors, that is, physical resilience. So far, a study examining the interplay between SRH, functional and mental health and their relative importance for health changes in the context of health stressors was missing. The present study aimed at addressing this gap.

METHODS

We used prospective data of 1,580 inpatients (794 complete cases) aged 70 years or older of the PAWEL study, collected between October 2017 and May 2019 in Germany. Our analyses were based on SRH, functional health (Barthel Index) and self-reported mental health problems (PHQ-4) before and 12 months after major elective surgery. To examine changes and interrelationships in these health indicators, bivariate latent change score (BLCS) models were applied.

RESULTS

Our analyses provided evidence for improvements of SRH, functional and mental health from pre-to-post surgery. BLCS models based on complete cases and the total sample pointed to a complex interplay of SRH, functional health and mental health with bidirectional coupling effects. Better pre-surgery SRH was associated with improvements in functional and mental health, and better pre-surgery functional health and mental health were associated with improvements in SRH from pre-to-post surgery. Effects of pre-surgery SRH on changes in functional health were smaller than those of functional health on changes in SRH.

CONCLUSIONS

Meaningful changes of SRH, functional and mental health and their interplay could be depicted for the first time in a clinical setting. Our findings provide preliminary support for SRH as a physical resilience factor being associated with improvements in other health indicators after health stressors. Longitudinal studies with more timepoints are needed to fully understand the predictive value of SRH for multidimensional health.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

PAWEL study, German Clinical Trials Register, number DRKS00013311. Registered 10 November 2017 - Retrospectively registered, https://www.drks.de/drks_web/navigate.do?navigationId=trial.HTML&TRIAL_ID=DRKS00013311 .

Does reverse shoulder arthroplasty improve emotional status and quality of life in patients with rotator cuff insufficiency? Prospective sequential follow-up study

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study was to investigate sequential changes of emotional status and quality of life after reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) for rotator cuff insufficiency and to determine the predictors that can affect postoperative clinical outcomes. This study was conducted to prove the hypothesis that RSA would improve emotional status and quality of life.

METHODS

Fifty patients undergoing RSA for rotator cuff insufficiency were prospectively included. Evaluation using the visual analog scale pain score, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score, subjective shoulder value, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and Abbreviated scale of World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF) was performed before surgery and at 1.5, 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery.

RESULTS

The mean visual analog scale pain score, HADS-depression score, and HADS-anxiety score showed a significant decrease from 6.6, 13.3, and 13.9 before surgery to 1.5, 3.9, and 3.7 after 12 months after surgery, respectively (all P < .001). The mean ASES score, WHOQOL-BREF score, and subjective shoulder value showed a significant improvement from 28.5, 32.3, and 23.6% to 81.3, 79.1, and 78.4%, respectively (all P < .001). All outcome measurements showed a significant improvement from 6 weeks after RSA. In multivariate analysis, age was an independent predictor of the final ASES score and WHOQOL-BREF score (P = .037 and .004, respectively).

CONCLUSION

This study showed a sequential improvement of emotional status and quality of life as well as functional recovery with pain relief from 6 weeks after RSA in patients with rotator cuff insufficiency. Especially, younger patients had better postoperative functional ability and quality of life. These findings suggest that RSA for rotator cuff insufficiency provides a rapid improvement of emotional status and quality of life.

Patient perspectives of pain and function after knee replacement: a systematic review and meta-synthesis of qualitative studies

Introduction

Joint replacement surgery typically results in good clinical outcome, although some people experience suboptimal pain relief and functional improvement. Predicting surgical outcome is difficult.

Objectives

There is merit in better understanding patients' perspectives of pain and function to identify avoidable problems perceived to contribute to their outcome, to inform prognostic expectations, and to identify potential cointerventions to sit alongside surgery that might mitigate pain/functional problems. Here, we aimed to synthesise the available literature exploring perspectives of people with knee osteoarthritis about their pain and function following joint replacement.

Methods

Six electronic databases and 2 websites were searched. Two independent reviewers completed study inclusion, quality assessment, and data extraction. Data were iteratively synthesised using first-, second-, and third-order analyses.

Results

Twenty-eight studies were included. Four themes were identified; perceptions of pain and function were inseparable. Theme 1 addressed experiences of recovery after surgery, which often differed from expectations. Theme 2 described the challenges of the pain experience and its functional impact, including the difficulty navigating medication use in context of personal beliefs and perceived stigma. Theme 3 articulated the toll of ongoing problems spanning pain-function-mood, necessitating the need to "endure." Theme 4 encompassed the importance of clinical/social interactions on mood and pain, with reports of concerns dismissed and practical support missing.

Conclusions

Together, these findings show that numerous individual considerations beyond the technical aspects of surgery influence experiences of pain and function. A tailored approach addressing these considerations from the patient perspective could provide a basis for improved success of knee replacement surgery.

miR-7/EGFR/MEGF9 axis regulates cartilage degradation in osteoarthritis via PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common degenerative disease in middle-aged and elderly people. Our previous study has proved that microRNA-7 (miR-7) exacerbated the OA process. This study was aimed to explore the downstream genes and mechanism regulated by miR-7 to affect OA. Multiple EGF-like-domains 9 (MEGF9) was the predicted target of miR-7 by databases. Luciferase report experiment results confirmed that MEGF9 could bind to miR-7. Among the 10 collected pairs of OA and healthy samples, the expression levels of miR-7 and MEGF9 were both up-regulated when compared with healthy subjects by qRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry (IHC). The increased MEGF9 levels were due to the interaction with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) by co-immunoprecipitation. Evaluations found that upregulation of miR-7 or MEGF9 can increase the expression of EGFR, matrix metalloproteinase-13 (MMP-13) and a disintegrin like and metallopeptidase with thrombospondin type 1 motif 5 (ADAMTS-5), so as to aggravate cartilage degradation. In addition, this effect induced by miR-7/EGFR/MEGF9 axis was by activation of PI3K/AKT signaling. The IHC and western blot assay results on OA model mice also demonstrated that miR-7/EGFR/MEGF9 axis regulated cartilage degradation in vivo. In summary, miR-7/EGFR/MEGF9 axis may perform a crucial function in the regulation of OA, providing potential for OA treatment.

Use of Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) measures to characterise health status for patients seeking care from an orthopaedic provider: a retrospective cohort study

OBJECTIVES

Characterise the health status of patients newly consulting an orthopaedic specialist across eight clinical subspecialties.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort.

SETTING

18 orthopaedic clinics, including 8 subspecialties (14 ambulatory and 4 hospital based) within an academic health system.

PARTICIPANTS

14 910 patients consulting an orthopaedic specialist for a new patient consultation who completed baseline Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) measures associated with their appointment from 17 November 2017 to 13 May 2019. Patients were aged 55.72±5.8 years old, and 61.3% were female and 79.3% were Caucasian and 13.4% were black or African American. Patients who did not complete PROMIS measures or cancelled their appointment were excluded from the study.

PRIMARY OUTCOME

PROMIS domains of physical function, pain interference, pain intensity, depression, anxiety, fatigue, sleep disturbance and the ability to participate in social roles.

RESULTS

Mean PROMIS scores for physical function were (38.1±9.2), pain interference (58.9±8.1), pain intensity (4.6±2.5), depression (47.9±8.9), anxiety (49.9±9.5), fatigue (50.5±10.3), sleep disturbance (51.1±9.8) and ability to participate in social roles (49.1±10.3) for the entire cohort. Across the clinical subspecialties, neurosurgery, spine and trauma patients were most profoundly affected across almost all domains and patients consulting with a hand specialist reported the least limitations or symptoms across domains. There was a moderate, negative correlation between pain interference and physical functioning (r=-0.59) and low correlations between pain interference with anxiety (r=0.36), depression (r=0.39) as well as physical function and anxiety (r=-0.32) and depression(r=-0.30) and sleep (r=-0.31).

CONCLUSIONS

We directly compared clinically meaningful PROMIS domains across eight orthopaedic subspecialties, which would not have been possible with legacy measures alone. These results support PROMIS's utility as a common metric to assess and compare patient health status across multiple orthopaedic subspecialties.

Correlation between pain severity and levels of anxiety and depression in osteoarthritis patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic degenerative musculoskeletal disease that causes articular damage and chronic pain, with a prevalence of up to 50% in individuals >60 years of age. Patients suffering from chronic painful conditions, including OA, also frequently report anxiety or depression. A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed to assess the correlation between pain severity and depressive and anxious symptomatology in OA patients.

METHODS

A systematic search was conducted using four databases (PubMed, Medline, Scopus, and Web of Science) from inception up to 14th January of 2020. We included original articles evaluating pain severity and anxiety and/or depression severity in OA-diagnosed patients. Detailed data were extracted from each study, including patients' characteristics and pain, anxiety, and depression severity. When available, the Pearson correlation coefficient between pain and depression severity and pain and anxiety severity was collected and a meta-analysis of random effects was applied.

RESULTS

This systematic review included 121 studies, with a total of 38085 participants. The mean age was 64.3 years old and subjects were predominantly female (63%). The most used scale to evaluate pain severity was the Western Ontario and the McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index, while for anxiety and depression, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale was the most used. The meta-analysis showed a moderate positive correlation between pain severity and both anxious (r = 0.31, p < 0.001) and depressive symptomatology (r = 0.36, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results demonstrate a significant correlation between pain and depression/anxiety severity in OA patients, highlighting the need for its routine evaluation by clinicians.

Wait times, resource use and health-related quality of life across the continuum of care for patients referred for total knee replacement surgery

Background

The escalating socioeconomic burden of knee osteoarthritis (OA) underscores the need for innovative strategies to reduce wait times for total knee arthroplasty (TKA). The purpose of this study was to evaluate resource use, costs and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) across the continuum of care for patients with knee OA.

Methods

This was a prospective study of 383 patients recruited from a high-volume teaching hospital at different stages of care (referral, consultation and presurgery). Outcomes included health care resource use; costs captured from the health care payer, private sector and societal perspectives; HRQoL measured using the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index, the 12-Item Short Form Health Survey, and EuroQoL 5-Dimension 5-Level tool; wait times; and the proportion of referrals deemed suitable candidates for surgery.

Results

The most commonly used conservative treatments were pharmacotherapy, exercise and lifestyle modification. Forty percent of patients referred for TKA were deemed not to be suitable candidates for surgery. The greatest proportion of costs was borne by the patient or private insurer; a small proportion was borne by the public payer. Across all stages of care, more than 60% of the total costs was attributed to productivity losses. HRQoL remained relatively stable throughout the waiting period (mean wait time from referral to TKA 13.2 mo) but improved postoperatively.

Conclusion

The suboptimal primary care management of knee OA calls for the development of innovative models of care. This study may provide valuable guidance on the design and implementation of a new online educational platform to improve referral efficiency and expedite wait times for TKA.

Association of Self-Reported Functional Limitations among a National Community-Based Sample of Older United States Adults with Pain: A Cross-Sectional Study

The characteristics of self-reported functional limitations among older United States (US) adults with pain are currently unknown. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the characteristics associated with functional limitations among non-institutionalized older (≥50 years) US adults with pain using 2017 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) data. Eligible subjects were alive for the calendar year, aged ≥50 years, and experienced pain within the past four weeks. Hierarchical logistic regression models were utilized to determine significant characteristics associated with functional limitations (outcome variable; yes, no). Functional limitations included difficulty with bending, stooping, climbing stairs, grasping objects, lifting, reaching overhead, standing for long periods of time, or walking. Extrapolation of national data values was possible by adjusting for the complex MEPS design. We found approximately 22 million of the 57 million older US adults (≥50 years) who reported pain had a functional limitation in 2017. Characteristics associated with functional limitations included: gender, race, ethnicity, employment status, marital status, pain intensity, physical health, number of chronic conditions, and frequent exercise status. Knowledge of characteristics associated with functional limitations may provide an opportunity to identify and resolve gaps in patient care among this population.

Effects of centralized isolation vs. home isolation on psychological distress in patients with COVID-19

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of isolation form on the recovery of psychological distress in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) after being discharged from hospital.

METHODS

Baseline survey was conducted from February 10, 2020 to February 25, 2020 in patients with COVID-19 in a designated hospital on the discharge day. After discharge, patients were free to choose whether isolate in a centralized isolation site (i.e. designated hotel) or their own home for another two weeks. A follow-up survey was conducted at the end of the 2-week post-discharge isolation. Depression, anxiety as well as self-rated health were assessed at both time points using the 9-item patient health questionnaire, 7-item generalized anxiety disorder scale and self-rated health scores, respectively.

RESULTS

Fifty centrally isolated and 45 home isolated patients completed both the baseline and the follow-up assessments. Significant effects of time and time by isolation form were found on depression and anxiety levels, with a significant decrease in depression and anxiety shown in home isolated but not in centrally isolated patients. Besides, a significant time effect was identified on self-rated health with significant improvement found in home isolated but not in centrally isolated patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Home isolation is superior to centralized isolation in the recovery of COVID-19-associated depression, anxiety as well as self-rated health. More attention needs to be paid to the psychological well-being of centrally isolated patients. A sustained and integrated rehabilitation plan is warranted for patients with COVID-19 to achieve both physical and psychological recovery.

Effects of Anxiety and Depression Measured via the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale on Early Pain and Range of Motion After Rotator Cuff Repair

BACKGROUND

Preoperative anxiety and depression are independent predictors of clinical outcomes after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. However, few studies have evaluated correlations between outcomes such as pain and range of motion (ROM) after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair and preoperative anxiety and depression.

PURPOSE

To evaluate the effects of preoperative anxiety and depression, measured using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), on early pain and ROM after rotator cuff repair.

STUDY DESIGN

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2.

METHODS

A total of 144 consecutive patients who underwent arthroscopic rotator cuff repair were enrolled and divided into 2 groups according to HADS scores: group A, those with a healthy psychological status (n = 103; anxiety ≤7 and depression ≤7), and group B, those with psychological distress (n = 41; anxiety ≥8 or depression ≥8). Clinical outcomes were assessed using the visual analog scale for pain (pVAS) and ROM at 3 and 6 months postoperatively and annually.

RESULTS

There were no significant preoperative differences in age, sex, tear size, pVAS scores, and ROM. However, at 3 months postoperatively, group A showed significantly lower mean pVAS scores (2.2 ± 1.3 vs 3.4 ± 1.8, respectively; P = .001) and significantly higher mean forward flexion (146.4°± 23.0° vs 124.1°± 28.2°, respectively; P < .001) than group B, as well as significantly higher mean levels of internal rotation at the back (T11.5 ± 2.8 vs L1.9 ± 2.5, respectively; P < .001) and significantly higher mean external rotation (42.4°± 15.9° vs 35.2°± 16.8°, respectively; P = .019). At 6 months postoperatively, the mean pVAS score was still significantly lower in group A than in group B (0.8 ± 1.6 vs 1.8 ± 2.1, respectively; P = .016), but other ROM measurements had no significant differences. There was also no significant difference in clinical and functional outcomes at the final follow-up.

CONCLUSION

Anxiety and depression negatively affected clinical outcomes after rotator cuff repair. Recovery from pain and of ROM after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair occurred more quickly in patients with a healthy psychological status. Therefore, assessments of preoperative psychological status should be emphasized to improve early clinical outcomes after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair.

Risk factors for symptomatic retears after arthroscopic repair of full-thickness rotator cuff tears

BACKGROUND

Factors affecting a rotator cuff symptomatic retear after arthroscopic repair have yet to be clearly identified, since they usually influence the surgical decisions.

METHODS

Consecutive patients with full-thickness tear of the supraspinatus who underwent arthroscopic repair were retrospectively analyzed. Cases of symptomatic retear, defined as Sugaya type IV and V on magnetic resonance imaging, associated with intensive pain and/or functional impairment were identified at follow-up. The patients with no symptomatic retear were selected as the control group. Information from potential risk factors of symptomatic retear, including depression and subacromial corticosteroid injections, was extracted from the medical records. The statistical analysis included multivariant logistic regression.

RESULTS

The symptomatic retear rate was 9.5% in 158 patients. Patients in the symptomatic retear group were more likely to be smoking, to have massive tears, a short acromiohumeral distance, and moderate to severe fatty infiltration. They also had had more frequently subacromial corticosteroid injections and depression. However, following the multiple logistic regression analysis, only massive tears and moderate to severe fatty infiltration remained significantly associated. Similarly, in relation to the study hypothesis, both corticosteroid injections (odds ratio [OR] 6.66, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.49, 29.81; P = .013) and depression (OR 8.26, IC 1.04, 65.62; P = .046) were significantly associated with symptomatic retear risk.

CONCLUSIONS

This study found support for the hypothesis that both depression and corticosteroid infiltration before surgery are independent risk factors for symptomatic retear after arthroscopic repair of rotator cuff.

Psychosocial factors, disability and quality of life in chronic shoulder pain patients with central sensitization

Chronic shoulder pain is a complex and multidimensional phenomenon with multiple causative factors involved in its perpetuation. Alteration of central nervous system processing along with the central sensitization is a predominant feature in chronic pain. Reduction in physical function has an impact on the psychological well-being of an individual. The aim of the study was to compare pain, kinesiophobia, catastrophizing, disability and quality of life in chronic shoulder pain patients with and without central sensitization. Eighty chronic unilateral shoulder pain patients in the age group of 40 to 60 years were recruited. Of them, 38 were chronic shoulder pain with central sensitization and 42 without central sensitization, classified on the basis of central sensitization inventory. Pain catastrophizing was measured using the pain catastrophizing scale, kinesiophobia using Tampa scale of kinesiophobia, disability using Shoulder pain and disability index and quality of life using 36-Item Short Form Health Survey questionnaire was evaluated in both the groups. Increased pain catastrophizing (p=0.000), kinesiophobia (p=0.000) and disability (p=0.000) was observed in centrally sensitized chronic shoulder pain patients. Also, physical component summary (p=0.000) and mental component summary (p=0.000) of SF-36 quality of life were reduced in chronic shoulder pain with central sensitization as compared to without central sensitization. Hence, these components should be included during assessment which will provide a holistic and multimodal approach towards the understanding, planning and management of chronic shoulder pain patients.

Perceived occurrence of an adverse event affects patient-reported outcomes after total hip replacement

BACKGROUND

Dislocation, periprosthetic fracture and infection are serious complications of total hip replacement (THR) and which negatively impact on patients' outcomes including satisfaction, quality of life, mental health and function. The accuracy with which patients report adverse events (AEs) after surgery varies. The impact of patient self-reporting of AEs on patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) after THR is yet to be investigated. Our aim was to determine the effect of confirmed and perceived AEs on PROMs after primary THR.

METHODS

A prospective single-centre cohort study of patients undergoing primary THR, with one-year follow-up, was performed. Participants completed forms pre-operatively and 3, 6, 9 and 12 months post-operatively, including Work Productivity and Activity Impairment (WPAI), Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), EuroQol-5D-3 L (EQ5D), Self-Administered Patient Satisfaction (SAPS) and AE reporting questionnaires. Results were reported in three groups: No AE, reported but not confirmed AE and confirmed AE. A generalised linear model was used to compare among groups using robust standard errors (SE).

RESULTS

Forty-one AEs were reported in a cohort of 417 patients (234 females), with 30 AEs reported by 3 months. Eleven (27 reported) infections, two (six reported) periprosthetic fractures and two (eight reported) dislocations were confirmed. Those in the no AE group reported significantly better outcomes that the reported AE group as measured by WOMAC Co-Eff 14.27 (p = 0.01), EQ5D - 0.128 (p = 0.02) and SAPS - 9.926 (p = 0.036) and the combined reported and confirmed AE groups as measured by WOMAC Co-Eff 13.72 (p = 0.002), EQ5D - 0.129 (p = 0.036) and SAPS - 11.512 (p = 0.004). No significant differences were seen in WPAI among groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients who report AEs have worse outcomes than those who do not, regardless of whether the AEs can be confirmed by standard medical record review methods. The observed negative trends suggest that patient perception of AEs may influence patient outcome in a similar way to those with confirmed AEs.

Procedural Treatments for Knee Osteoarthritis: A Review of Current Injectable Therapies

Knee osteoarthritis is a common painful degenerative condition affecting the aging Canadian population. In addition to pain and disability, osteoarthritis is associated with depression, comorbid conditions such as diabetes, and increased caregiver burden. It is predicted to cost the Canadian healthcare system $7.6 billion dollars by 2031. Despite its high cost and prevalence, controversy persists in the medical community regarding optimal therapies to treat knee osteoarthritis. A variety of medications like nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories and opioids can cause severe side effects with limited benefits. Total knee arthroplasty, although a definitive management, comes with risk such as postoperative infections, revisions, and chronic pain. Newer injectable therapies are gaining attention as alternatives to medications because of a safer side effect profile and are much less invasive than a joint replacement. Platelet-rich plasma is beginning to replace the more common injectable therapies of intra-articular corticosteroids and hyaluronic acid, but larger trials are needed to confirm this effect. Small studies have examined prolotherapy and stem cell therapy and demonstrate some benefits. Trials involving genicular nerve block procedures have been successful. As treatments evolve, injectable therapies may offer a safe and effective pathway for patients suffering from knee osteoarthritis.

Surgical explantation of atrial septal closure devices for refractory nickel allergy symptoms

OBJECTIVES

Systemic allergic reactions to nickel alloys in percutaneous atrial septal defect occlusion devices have a poorly defined natural history. We describe our experience of surgical removal of the offending device in a series of patients with nickel allergy and refractory symptoms.

METHODS

Patients with atrial septal defect device explants for nickel allergy were reviewed. Administered questionnaires focused on symptoms, quality of life, and satisfaction along with the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey to measure physical and mental health postsurgery.

RESULTS

Atrial septal defect devices were removed for nickel allergy in 58 patients during the past 10 years. The median age was 42 years (range, 24-71 years) and 95% were women. Explantation occurred at a median of 8 years (range, 6 months-18 years) after insertion. Symptoms included fatigue (82%), chest pain (78%), headache (73%), and palpitation (58%). Surveys were available for 45 patients: 58% rated their quality of life as poor and 69% were not at all satisfied with their device. Postexplant, all patients reported improvement in their symptoms, with 18 patients (42%) noting complete resolution. In 12 patients prospectively studied, the preoperative scores in physical and mental health domains were lower than the validation group, indicating significant disability. Similarly, there was marked improvement in each domain postremoval.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with nickel allergy and severe refractory symptoms after atrial septal defect device implantation experience profound resolution of symptoms and improved quality of life after removal. Nickel allergy should be considered before device insertion, and a low threshold should exist for surgical removal for refractory symptoms.

Mission of Mercy patient characteristics and dental-related emergency department use

BACKGROUND

Although dental Mission of Mercy (MOM) events have existed for more than 2 decades and are held in more than 30 states, systematic data collection and reporting on patient characteristics, oral health care use patterns, and oral health care needs are lacking.

METHODS

The authors surveyed patients attending the 2016 Florida MOM, asking about their reasons for seeking oral health care, oral health care use, and dental-related emergency department (ED) use. The authors conducted descriptive and multivariable analyses of survey and patient registration data to describe patient characteristics and examine associations between patient characteristics, time to last dental visit, and ED use.

RESULTS

Sixty-six percent of 1,462 study participants reported having orofacial pain; one-third of those were in pain for more than 1 year. Only 18% reported fair or poor overall health, whereas 75% reported fair or poor oral health. Florida MOM attendees who were younger adults, were of non-Hispanic ethnicity, had less than a college education, lived below federal poverty guidelines, and reported poorer oral health were at increased risk of having dental-related ED visits.

CONCLUSIONS

Incorporating systematic data collection into dental MOM events provides important information about the characteristics and oral health care needs of clinic attendees that can be used to develop programs to address oral health care access on the basis of community-specific needs.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS

Community partners are using study data to develop strategies to address unmet oral health care needs. By systematically collecting information about patients who attend dental MOM events, we can obtain valuable information to create awareness about local community oral health care needs and promote efforts to develop sustainable strategies to improve oral health care access and outcomes.

External Validity of a New Prediction Model for Patient Satisfaction After Total Knee Arthroplasty

BACKGROUND

The ability to identify patients at risk of dissatisfaction after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) remains elusive. This study's purpose was to determine the external validity of a recently published prediction model for patient satisfaction (PMPS) with the hypothesis that it would achieve similar predictive success in our study sample.

METHODS

A 10-question PMPS statistically derived from 5 patient-reported outcome questionnaires was tested for external validity in this prospective cohort investigation. The PMPS incorporates gender, age, stiffness, noise, and pain catastrophizing, with a score of 20 or greater predictive of satisfaction. As in the original study, to determine satisfaction the 2011 Knee Society Score (KSS) satisfaction subscale was collected at 3 months postoperatively. Two hundred seventy-four patients were administered the PMPS preoperatively, and 145 patients completed the KSS at 3 months postoperatively (53.0% response rate; 59% female; age, 64.9; body mass index, 32.5). A Bland-Altman analysis to assess agreement was performed.

RESULTS

One hundred thirty-three patients (91.7%) were satisfied and 12 (8.3%) were dissatisfied based on their postoperative KSS. The mean difference between the PMPS and KSS was 3.6 ± 8, but with a 95% prediction interval of -15.3 to 22.1 signifying almost no correlation. The PMPS did not predict any of the 12 dissatisfied patients postoperatively, and falsely predicted 5 patients to be dissatisfied of which 4 actually had a maximum postoperative KSS of 40.

CONCLUSION

A previously published, internally validated 10-question PMPS was unable to predict satisfaction after TKA in our external study sample. This study emphasizes the difficulty of developing a simple, but robust questionnaire that consistently predicts patient satisfaction after TKA.

Psychological Distress Independently Predicts Prolonged Hospitalization After Primary Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasty

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of psychological distress on hospital length of stay (LOS) in joint arthroplasty (TJA).

METHODS

A retrospective review of 863 patients who underwent primary, unilateral TJA at a single tertiary academic center was performed. Two groups were compared: patients with or without psychological distress defined using the Short Form-12 mental component summary. The primary outcome was the rate of hospital LOS exceeding 2 days. Secondary outcomes were rates of in-hospital complications and 90-day emergency room visits and readmissions. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed.

RESULTS

The prevalence of psychological distress was 23%. The mean LOS was 2.44 days. Patients with psychological distress were younger (P < .0001) and more likely to have depression (P < .0001), lower educational attainment (P < .0001), smoke tobacco (P = .003), be Hispanic/Latino (P = .001), live alone (P = .001), and have higher rates of nonprimary osteoarthritis (P < .0001). After adjusting for these differences, psychological distress was an independent predictor of LOS > 2 days (P = .049 and .006 for total hip arthroplasty [THA] and total knee arthroplasty [TKA], respectively). There were no differences in the rates of in-hospital complications (P = .913 and .782 for THA and TKA, respectively), emergency room visits (P = .467 and .355 for THA and TKA respectively), or readmissions (P = .118 and .334 for THA and TKA, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Psychological distress is an independent predictor of prolonged hospitalization after primary TJA. The Short Form-12 mental component summary is a good screening tool for identifying patients with poor mental health who may not be appropriate candidates for outpatient surgery. Efforts to address psychological distress before surgery are warranted.

Improvement in mental health following total hip arthroplasty: the role of pain and function

Background

Mental health has been shown to improve after total hip arthroplasty (THA). Little is known about the role of pain and function in this context. We assessed whether change in mental health was associated with improvement in pain and function 1 year post-surgery.

Methods

This prospective study included patients enrolled in a THA registry from 2010 to 2014. We examined the mental component score (MCS) before and 1 year post-surgery, and 1-year change, in association with Western Ontario McMaster Universities (WOMAC) pain and function scores. All scores were normalized, ranging from 0 to 100 (larger score indicating better outcome). Analyses were adjusted for potential confounders.

Results

Our study included 610 participants, of which 53% were women. Descriptive statistics are as follows: the average (SD) for age (years) was 68.5 (11.8), and for BMI was 26.9 (4.9). In addition, the MCS average (SD) at baseline was 44.7 (11.2), and at 1-year after THA was 47.5 (10.5). The average change from baseline to 1-year post-THA in MCS was 2.8 (95% CI: 1.9, 3.6), for an effect size of 0.26. As for the WOMAC pain score, the average change from baseline to 1-year post-THA was 44.2 (95%CI: 42.4, 46.0), for an effect size of 2.5. The equivalent change in WOMAC function was 38.1 (95% CI: 36.2, 40.0), for an effect size of 2.0. Results from multivariable analysis controlling for covariates showed that an improvement of 10 points in the 1-year change in pain score resulted in a 0.78 point (95%: CI 0.40, 1.26) increase in the 1-year change in MCS, whereas a 10-point improvement in the 1-year change in function was associated with a 0.94 point (95% CI: 0.56, 1.32) increase.

Conclusions

Mental health significantly improved from baseline to 1-year post-THA. Greater improvement in pain and function was associated with greater improvement in mental health 1 year post-THA.

The paradox of self-rated health following joint replacement surgery

PURPOSE

Self-rated health is a commonly used patient-reported outcome, but its responsiveness to is not well documented. We examined the ability of self-rated health to capture health changes attributable to a highly effective surgical intervention.

METHODS

Prospective study of patients with severe osteoarthritis of the hip (N = 990) or knee (N = 907) who underwent total hip replacement (THA) or total knee replacement (TKA). Self-rated health was assessed pre-operatively and 1 year after surgery on a scale between "excellent" and "poor," along with other health items (other 11 items of the SF12 questionnaire) and multi-item Pain and Function scales.

RESULTS

On average, self-rated health was unchanged by surgery. In both THA and TKA cohorts, of 10 patients, 6 rated their health the same after surgery as before, 2 gave a higher rating, and 2 gave a lower rating. In contrast, major improvements were observed for all other SF12 items, and for the Pain and Function scales, in both cohorts of patients. Nevertheless, both before and after surgery, self-rated health was associated with the other SF12 items and with Pain and Function scores. These associations were stronger after surgery than before.

CONCLUSIONS

Self-rated health was not responsive to major improvements in health, documented by other instruments, attributable to joint replacement surgery. However, self-rated health was even more strongly associated with concurrent assessments of more specific health problems after surgery than before. Caution is advised in interpreting changes in self-rated health following health-altering interventions.

Optimal search strategies for identifying moderators and predictors of treatment effects in PubMed

BACKGROUND

Treatment effects differ across patients. To guide selection of treatments for patients, it is essential to acknowledge these differences and identify moderators or predictors. Our aim was to generate optimal search strategies (commonly known as filters) for PubMed to retrieve papers identifying moderators and predictors of treatment effects.

METHODS

Six journals were hand-searched for articles on moderators or predictors. Selected articles were randomly allocated to a development and validation set. Search terms were extracted from the development set and tested for their performance. Search filters were created from combinations of these terms and tested in the validation set.

RESULTS

Of 4407 articles, 198 were considered to be relevant. The most sensitive filter in the development set '("Epidemiologic Methods" [MeSH] OR assign* OR control*[tiab] OR trial*[tiab]) AND therapy*[sh]' yielded in the validation set a sensitivity of 89% [88%-90%] and a specificity of 80% [79%-82%].

CONCLUSIONS

The search filters created in this study can help to efficiently retrieve evidence on moderators and predictors of treatment effect. Testing of the filters in multiple domains should reveal robustness across disciplines. These filters can facilitate the retrieval of evidence on moderators and predictors of treatment effects, helping the implementation of stratified or personalised health care.

Associated Factors of Self-Rated Mental Health Status in Southwestern Iran: Using SCAD Regression Model in a Population-Based Study

This study aimed to investigate the association between self-rated mental health (SRMH) and current health status of an Iranian population. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 3400 individuals selected through random sampling in Shiraz, Iran between January 2014 and March 2015. Data were gathered through face-to-face interviews. Statistical analyses were performed using the SPSS 19.0, and R.3.1.2 software was used for SCAD penalized logistic regression. The mean age of the participants was 38.5 (± 14.1 years). There were significant relationships between better SRMH and younger ages (p < 0.001), and between better SRMH and better self-rated physical health (p < 0.001). Individuals with poor SRMH were more likely to have signs and symptoms of medical diseases. SRMH, a component of self-rated health, was related to a variety of health problems in our study population. Therefore, paying attention to SRMH and mental well-being could be useful in making decision about implementation of preventive measures.

Profile and burden of care among caregivers of Ultra-Orthodox Frail Elders

OBJECTIVE

A paucity of research exists on burden of care (BoC) and factors associated with it among minority groups, such as Ultra-Orthodox Jews. The aims of this study were (1) to portray the profile of Ultra-Orthodox Jewish (UOJ) caregivers and their BoC; (2) to explore relations between care recipients' characteristics, care situations, characteristics of caregivers, and BoC.

METHODS

A total of 107 UOJ (66 women, 41 men) family caregivers were interviewed face to face in their homes, using valid and reliable measures.

RESULTS

Participants reported moderate BoC and high level of social support. Caregiver's self-rated health, caregiver's anxiety, and social support emerged as significant predictors of caregiver burden.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings might help social workers and other health professionals to better understand the unique characteristics of the UOJ community and to target caregivers with higher anxiety, lesser social support, and poorer self-rated health in order to reduce their caregiving burden.

[A review on psychosomatic factors affecting the outcome after total knee-arthroplasty (TKA)]

A review on psychosomatic factors affecting the outcome after total knee-arthroplasty (TKA) Objectives: In today's ageing Western societies, arthroplasty is a common treatment for endstage osteoarthritis. Despite highly developed implants and surgery, however, this treatment does not always succeed in relieving pain and restoring joint function, i.e., in restoring satisfactory algofunction. Clinicians partly blame psychological factors for this discrepancy, especially in the absence of objective medical complications.

METHODS

The present review summarizes previous studies on the role of psychosomatic interactions affecting the course after total knee arthroplasty (TKA).

RESULTS

During the perioperative period, patients with TKA suffer from marked psychic distress that is also linked to the postoperative algofunction.

CONCLUSIONS

We discuss the theoretical and clinical implications of the findings reviewed.

Changes in Psychological Status and Health-Related Quality of Life Following Total Shoulder Arthroplasty

BACKGROUND

There has been little documentation of the effects of total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) on psychological status and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). We investigated changes in psychological status (depression and anxiety) and HRQoL following TSA and assessed the effect of preoperative psychological status on postoperative clinical and functional outcome. We hypothesized that TSA would improve both psychological status and HRQoL.

METHODS

We prospectively enrolled 46 patients undergoing TSA for osteoarthritis. Preoperatively and at 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively, all of the subjects completed the visual analog scale (VAS) for pain, the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons Scale (ASES), the Subjective Shoulder Value (SSV) measure, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale Abbreviated Version (WHOQOL-BREF).

RESULTS

From 3 months after surgery, significant improvement in HADS-depression, HADS-anxiety, and WHOQOL-BREF scores as well as in the other outcome measures of VAS pain score, ASES score, and SSV were observed. The prevalence of depression and anxiety decreased from a rate of 15.2% and 19.5%, respectively, preoperatively to a rate of 6.5% for each at 12 months postoperatively. Preoperative HADS-depression and HADS-anxiety scores did not correlate with any of the clinical and functional outcome measures at 12 months after surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

This study showed significant improvement in psychological status and HRQoL as well as in pain and functional ability from 3 months after TSA in patients with osteoarthritis. Preoperative depression and anxiety did not predict poor postoperative outcome. Our findings suggest that TSA offers an excellent chance of improving psychological status and HRQoL.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Metal Hypersensitivity Reactions to Orthopedic Implants

Total hip and knee replacement surgery using metal alloy devices is common. Type IV allergic reactions to these implants occur, though infrequently. While uncommon, peri-implant metal allergic reactions may cause significant morbidity for the affected individual-including aseptic loosening, pseudotumor formation and frank device failure. It is challenging to predict who will have these reactions, even in those with established pre-implant metal allergy. At this time, the scientific literature clearly supports few conclusions. Despite this, we believe several conclusions can be made: routine pre-implant testing in asymptomatic individuals is not indicated; listen to patient's concerns about metal allergy if the concern arises; patch testing is probably the best pre- and post-implant screening test; post-implantation testing is controversial and even positive LTT or patch test does not definitively diagnose morbidity from a metal allergy; and complete recovery following revision placement of an immunologically inert device is diagnostic. More research is needed to scientifically approach this issue.

The relationship between pain with walking and self-rated health 12 months following total knee arthroplasty: a longitudinal study

BACKGROUND

A subgroup of patients continue to report pain with walking 12 months after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). The association between walking pain and self-rated health (SRH) after TKA is not known. This prospective longitudinal study aimed to investigate the association between a comprehensive list of preoperative factors, postoperative pain with walking, and SRH 12 months after TKA.

METHODS

Patients (N = 156) scheduled for TKA completed questionnaires that evaluated demographic and clinical characteristics, symptoms, psychological factors, and SRH. SRH was re-assessed 12 months after TKA. Clinical variables were retrieved from medical records. Pain with walking was assessed before surgery, at 6 weeks, 3, and 12 months after TKA. Subgroups with distinct trajectories of pain with walking over time were identified using growth mixture modeling. Multiple linear regression was used to investigate the relationships between pain with walking and other factors on SRH.

RESULTS

Higher body mass index, a higher number of painful sites at 12 months, recurrent pain with walking group membership, ketamine use, higher depression scores, and poorer preoperative self-rated health were associated with poorer SRH 12 months after TKA. The final model was statistically significant (p = 0.005) and explained 56.1% of the variance in SRH 12 months after surgery. SRH improved significantly over time. Higher C-reactive protein levels, higher number of painful sites before surgery, higher fatigue severity, and more illness concern was associated with poorer preoperative SRH.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients whose walking ability decreases over time, clinicians need to assess for unreleaved pain and decreases in SRH. Additional research is needed on interventions to improve walking ability and SRH.

Shoulder Arthroplasty Outcomes in Patients With Multiple Reported Drug Allergies: Does Number of Drug Allergies Have an Effect on Outcome?

Background:

The presence of multiple allergies has been correlated with worse outcomes for patients undergoing hip and knee arthroplasty, but the effect of allergies has not yet been elucidated with respect to shoulder arthroplasty.

Purpose/Hypothesis:

The purpose of this study is to identify any discrepancies in shoulder arthroplasty outcomes with respect to reported drug allergies. We hypothesized that patients with multiple drug allergies would have inferior outcomes.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

Included in the analysis were a single surgeon’s cases between 2009 and 2014 of primary total shoulder arthroplasty with a minimum of 180 days of follow-up. Cases with fracture as the indication were excluded. Preoperative and postoperative metrics included visual analog scale (VAS) for pain, forward flexion range of motion, and Simple Shoulder Test (SST) results, and postoperative patient satisfaction scores were also collected. Chi-square and 1-way analysis of variance with Tukey post hoc analyses were performed when appropriate.

Results:

A total of 98 patients were included (no allergies, n = 51; single allergy, n = 21; multiple allergies, n = 26). The proportion of females was greater with increasing number of allergies (no allergies, 31%; single allergies, 47%; multiple allergies, 88%; Pearson χ² = 22.5; P < .0001). Both preoperatively and postoperatively, no difference was found between cohorts with respect to SST score, VAS score, or forward flexion. There was also no difference in postoperative satisfaction between cohorts. No difference between cohorts was identified when comparing the pre- to postoperative change in SST scores, VAS scores, or forward flexion.

Conclusion:

The presence of single or multiple allergies is not correlated with worse outcomes after primary anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty.

Patient-Reported Metal Allergy: A Risk Factor for Poor Outcomes After Total Joint Arthroplasty?

BACKGROUND

Metal sensitivity after total joint arthroplasty has been of increased concern, but the impact of a patient-reported metal allergy on clinical outcomes has not been investigated. The purpose of this study was to report the incidence and impact of patient-reported metal allergy after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and total hip arthroplasty (THA).

METHODS

This was a retrospective, institutional review board-approved investigation of patients undergoing a primary, elective total joint arthroplasty between 2009 and 2011. All patients completed a preoperative questionnaire asking about drug and environmental allergies. In January 2010, a specific question was added regarding the presence of a metal allergy. University of California at Los Angeles Activity, Short Form 12 (SF-12), Modified Harris Hip, and Knee Society scores were collected preoperatively and at most recent follow-up. Overall cohorts of metal allergy and nonmetal allergy patients were compared, and a 1:2 matching analysis was also performed.

RESULTS

Nine hundred six primary THAs and 589 primary TKAs were included. The incidence of patient-reported metal allergy was 1.7% before January 2010 and 4.0% after (overall 2.3% of THAs and 4.1% of TKAs); 97.8% of metal allergy patients were female. After TKA, postoperative Knee Society Function, Symptoms, Satisfaction, and Expectation scores were all decreased in the metal allergy cohort (P < .001-.002). After THA, metal allergy patients had a decreased postoperative SF-12 Mental Component Score and less incremental improvement in their SF-12 Mental Component Score vs the nonmetal allergy cohort (P < .0001 and P = .001, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Patient-reported metal allergy is associated with decreased functional outcomes after TKA and decreased mental health scores after THA.

Impact of clinical osteoarthritis of the hip, knee and hand on self-rated health in six European countries: the European Project on OSteoArthritis

PURPOSE

Osteoarthritis (OA) has been shown to be associated with decreased physical function, which may impact upon a person's self-rated health (SRH). Only a few studies have examined the association between OA and SRH in the general population, but to date none have used a clinical definition of OA. The objectives are: (1) To examine the cross-sectional association between clinical OA and fair-to-poor SRH in the general population; (2) To examine whether this association differs between countries; (3) To examine whether physical function is a mediator in the association between clinical OA and SRH.

METHODS

Baseline data of the European Project on OSteoArthritis (EPOSA) were used, which includes pre-harmonized data from six European cohort studies (n = 2709). Clinical OA was defined according to the American College of Rheumatology criteria. SRH was assessed using one question: How is your health in general? Physical function was assessed using the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities OA Index and Australian/Canadian OA Hand Index.

RESULTS

The prevalence of fair-to-poor SRH ranged from 19.8 % in the United Kingdom to 63.5 % in Italy. Although country differences in the strength of the associations were observed, clinical OA of the hip, knee and hand were significantly associated with fair-to-poor SRH in five out of six European countries. In most countries and at most sites, the association between clinical OA and fair-to-poor SRH was partly or fully mediated by physical function.

CONCLUSIONS

Clinical OA at different sites was related to fair-to-poor SRH in the general population. Most associations were (partly) mediated by physical functioning, indicating that deteriorating physical function in patients with OA should be a point of attention in patient care.

Cross-Sectional Contrast Between Individuals With Foot/Ankle vs Knee Osteoarthritis for Obesity and Low Education on Health-Related Quality of Life

BACKGROUND

Improving health-related quality of life (HRQoL) necessitates an understanding of the influence of patient characteristics on, and interrelationship among, HRQoL domains. In osteoarthritis (OA), these associations have predominantly been examined in hip/knee populations. We investigated whether there were differences in these associations between foot/ankle and knee OA samples.

METHODS

Individuals seeking orthopedic care for foot/ankle or knee OA completed a questionnaire pre-consultation, including HRQoL domains (bodily pain [BP], physical [PF] and social functioning [SF], and mental [MH] and general health [GH]), obesity, comorbidity, and sociodemographic characteristics. Associations were examined via stratified path analysis (foot/ankle vs knee). Foot/ankle: n = 180, mean age = 55 (range: 25 to 82), 52% female. Knee: n = 253, mean age = 62 (range: 26 to 92), 51% female.

RESULTS

The interrelationship among HRQoL domains was generally similar between groups. However, the influence of patient characteristics differed. Low educational status was associated with worse scores for GH, MH, and SF in the foot/ankle group, whereas no significant effects were found in the knee group. Obesity was associated with worse scores for SF, BP, and GH in the foot/ankle compared to the knee group. Patient characteristics explained considerably more of the variation in domain scores in the foot/ankle group.

CONCLUSION

There are significant differences in the impact of patient characteristics on HRQoL domains in foot/ankle versus knee OA patients. Therefore, a universal approach to patient education/intervention to improve HRQoL in lower-extremity OA is not likely to achieve optimal results. Based on these findings, we recommend joint-specific patient education, with a particular emphasis on patient characteristics among the foot/ankle OA population.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level III, retrospective comparative study.

Depression and anxiety before and after limb length discrepancy correction in patients with unilateral developmental dysplasia of the hip

OBJECTIVE

Limb length discrepancy (LLD) is common in patients with developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) and may influence the psychological status of these patients. The present study aims to investigate depression and anxiety in DDH patients with different extents of LLD and to assess the effect of LLD correction on these two psychological factors.

METHODS

161 patients with DDH were recruited and divided into two groups based on whether they could perceive LLD preoperatively. The patients who could not perceive LLD were assigned to group N, and those who could perceive LLD were assigned to group P. Depression/anxiety, Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) scores and LLD were assessed one week before, six months and two years after total hip arthroplasty (THA).

RESULTS

Depression and anxiety were significantly higher in group P patients compared to group N patients. The patients in group N presented significant improvement in depression and anxiety six months after arthroplasty, while DDH patients in group P did two years after arthroplasty. Correlation analyses revealed their improvement was associated with pain relief and improved hip function in both groups of patients and was also related to changes in the perception of LLD in group P patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Depression and anxiety levels were higher in DDH patients with perceived LLD. Their improvement was related to pain relief and improved hip function following THA. In DDH patients with perceived LLD, a change in the perception of LLD also played a part in their improvement.

Does Rotator Cuff Repair Improve Psychologic Status and Quality of Life in Patients With Rotator Cuff Tear?

BACKGROUND

Recently, psychological status, patient-centered outcomes, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with scheduled or who underwent orthopaedic surgeries have been emphasized. The relationship between preoperative psychological status and postoperative clinical outcome in patients with rotator cuff repair has not yet been investigated.

QUESTIONS/PURPOSES

The primary objective of this study was to investigate changes in psychological status (depression, anxiety, insomnia) and HRQoL after rotator cuff repair. The secondary objective was to assess whether preoperative depression, anxiety, and insomnia predict clinical outcome after rotator cuff repair.

METHODS

Forty-seven patients who underwent rotator cuff repair prospectively completed the visual analog scale (VAS) pain score, the UCLA Scale, the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons' Scale (ASES), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and the World Health Organization Quality-of-life Scale Abbreviated Version (WHOQOL-BREF) before surgery and at 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery. Repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to evaluate the serial changes in psychological parameters and outcome measurements. The chi-square test was also used to compare preoperative and postoperative prevalence of depression, anxiety, and insomnia. Finally, multiple regression analysis was applied to determine the relationship between preoperative psychological status and postoperative clinical outcome.

RESULTS

With surgery, depression, anxiety, and insomnia decreased, whereas quality of life increased. The mean HADS-D and HADS-A scores and the mean PSQI score decreased from 3.7 ± 3.3, 4.3 ± 4.3, and 6.6 ± 3.6, respectively, before surgery to 2.1 ± 2.3, 1.4 ± 2.4, and 4.2 ± 3.3, respectively, at 12 months after surgery (HADS-D mean difference 1.6 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 0.6-2.6], p = 0.003; HADS-A mean difference 2.9 [1.5-4.4], p < 0.001; PSQI mean difference 2.4 [1.3-3.4], p < 0.001). The mean WHOQOL-BREF score increased from 60.4 ± 11.0 before surgery to 67.4 ± 11.8 at 12 months after surgery (mean difference -7.0 [95% CI, -10.7 to -3.4], p < 0.001). At 12 months after surgery, there were decreases in the prevalence of depression (six of 47 [22.8%] versus three of 47 [6.4%], p = 0.002), anxiety (11 of 47 [23.4%] versus two of 47 [4.3%], p = 0.016), and insomnia (33 of 47 [70.2%] versus 20 of 47 [42.6%], p = 0.022). Preoperative HADS-depression, HADS-anxiety, and PSQI scores did not correlate with the VAS pain score, UCLA, or ASES scores at 12 months after surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

Psychological status and HRQoL improved with decreasing pain and increasing functional ability from 3 months after surgery. Preoperative depression, anxiety, and insomnia did not predict poor outcome after rotator cuff repair. Our findings suggest that successful rotator cuff repair may improve psychological status and HRQoL.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level II, prospective study.

What Is the Relationship Between Depressive Symptoms and Pain During Functional Tasks in Persons Undergoing TKA? A 6-year Perioperative Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

Preoperative depressive symptoms have been shown in some but not all studies to be associated with poor self-reported pain and function outcomes. In addition, depressive symptoms after surgery have been shown to improve relative to preoperative levels.

QUESTIONS/PURPOSES

We hypothesized that (1) preoperative depressive symptoms would predict postoperative pain; (2) depressive symptoms would decrease after surgery; and (3) preoperative depressive symptoms would increase as the scheduled surgery date approached.

METHODS

Data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative, a National Institutes of Health-funded prospective multiyear cohort study, were used in this retrospective analysis. Persons from four communities were eligible if they had radiographic knee osteoarthritis or were at risk for developing knee osteoarthritis based on occupational, medical history, or body weight risk factors. A total of 4796 persons participated and rates of followup were 80% or greater over the course of the study. Participants completed a validated depressive symptom scale and the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Scale pain scale each year for 3 years before and 3 years after TKA. Latent growth curve modeling was used to model intercepts and slopes of pre- and postoperative depression and pain. Preoperative trajectories and intercepts were then used to predict postoperative pain and depressive symptoms adjusting for confounding variables.

RESULTS

After adjustment for potential confounding, we found no evidence that preoperative depressive symptoms predicted postoperative pain with function (estimate, 0.1; 95% confidence interval, -0.31 to 0.50; p = 0.64) or that depressive symptoms were reduced after surgery (z = 0.06, p = 0.80). We also found no evidence to indicate that preoperative depressive symptoms increased as the date of surgery approached (linear slope = 0.28, SE = 0.19, p = 0.15).

CONCLUSIONS

Preoperative and postoperative depressive symptoms in patients before and after TKA did not appreciably change over a 6-year perioperative period. Patient depressive symptoms were not reduced after surgery and did not appear to be related to less pain postoperatively. Our findings of no association between preoperative depressive symptom severity and postoperative pain and no reduction in postoperative depressive symptoms run counter to other available evidence, potentially attributable, in part, to a data collection process that occurred outside of orthopaedic surgeons' offices. Future research is needed to more fully explore the potential role of social desirability, the concept that patients respond in a way that they think the researcher or clinician wants them to respond in lieu of responding in a way that truly reflects the patient's status. Social desirability may influence a TKA patient's pain and function outcome assessment.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level I, prognostic study.

[Personality and comorbidity: are there "difficult patients" in hip arthroplasty?]

BACKGROUND

Concomitant disorders at the time of surgery in addition to psychological and socioeconomic patient characteristics may influence treatment outcomes in hip arthroplasty.

OBJECTIVES

To describe the impact of these factors on perioperative complications and postoperative results in terms of function, quality of life, and patient satisfaction.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Review of relevant clinical studies, meta-analyses, and presentation of our own results.

RESULTS

Comorbidities in general, especially in combination, increase the perioperative risk profile. Socioeconomic factors (education, professional qualifications, social deprivation) in addition to psychological variables (depression, distressed personality) can have a major impact on postoperative functional outcomes and patient satisfaction.

CONCLUSIONS

It is of crucial importance to avoid inequalities in the provision of joint replacement for patients with hip osteoarthritis and co-existing risk factors. Preventive strategies should be implemented to reduce the negative impact of comorbidities on treatment outcome. Personalized communication and education may be helpful in avoiding unrealistic patient expectations before hip replacement.

Depression and the Overall Burden of Painful Joints: An Examination among Individuals Undergoing Hip and Knee Replacement for Osteoarthritis

The majority of patients with hip or knee osteoarthritis (OA) report one or more symptomatic joints apart from the one targeted for surgical care. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to investigate the association between the burden of multiple symptomatic joints and self-reported depression in patients awaiting joint replacement for OA. Four hundred and seventy-five patients at a single centre were evaluated. Patients self-reported joints that were painful and/or symptomatic most days of the previous month on a homunculus, with nearly one-third of the sample reporting 6 or more painful joints. The prevalence of depression was 12.2% (58/475). When adjusted for age, sex, education level, hip or knee OA, body mass index, chronic condition count, and joint-specific WOMAC scores, each additional symptomatic joint was associated with a 19% increased odds (odds ratio: 1.19 (95% CI: 1.08, 1.31, P < 0.01)) of self-reported depression. Individuals reporting 6 or more painful joints had 2.5-fold or greater odds of depression when compared to those patients whose symptoms were limited to the surgical joint. A focus on the surgical joint alone is likely to miss a potentially important determinant of postsurgical patient-reported outcomes in patients undergoing hip or knee replacement.

What does Self Rated Mental Health Represent

BACKGROUND

Unlike the widely used self rated health, the self rated mental health was found unsuitable as a proxy for mental illness. This paper analyses the relationships between the self ratings of physical health, mental health and overall health, and their association of with the objective indicators for physical and mental health.

DESIGN AND METHODS

The study is a secondary analysis of data from a nationwide representative sample of the non-institutionalized adult residents of Israel in 2003 that was collected via computer-assisted personal interview methods [n=4859].

RESULTS

The self rated physical health and the self rated mental health were strongly related to each other yet the self rated mental health was not related to chronic physical conditions and the self rated physical health was not related to mental disorders. In a multiple logistic regression analysis, those with positive self rated mental health had 93 times the odds of reporting positive overall health whereas those with positive self rated physical health had 40 times the odds of reporting positive overall health.

CONCLUSIONS

The self rating of mental health presents a qualitatively different dimension from mental illness. The self rated mental health is two times more important than the self rated physical health in predicting the self rated overall health Significance for public healthThe present study is an original study on the self rated physical, mental and overall health measures. Because of the wide range of associations with other health indicators, and the simplicity with which they are collected, self-rated health measures are widely used in large population surveys.The present study questions the automatic assumption that the self rated mental health functions as a proxy measure of psychiatric morbidity, and suggests that the self rated mental health is more closely related to subjective well-being. The results show that self rated mental health predicts self rated general health better than self rated physical health.

Patient reported allergies are a risk factor for poor outcomes in total hip and knee arthroplasty

We evaluated 459 patients undergoing THA or TKA who completed preoperative and postoperative WOMAC and/or SF36 surveys. Medical comorbidities and reported allergies were also recorded. Evaluation of surveys was compared for patients with or without 4 or more reported allergies using statistical methods. Patients with 4 or more reported allergies had less improvement on SF36 Physical Component Score (∆PCS=4.2) than those with 0-3 allergies (∆PCS=10.0, P=0.0002). Regression analysis showed that this change was independent of self-reported comorbidities. Patients reporting 4 or more allergies also had less improvement in WOMAC function (∆F=21.4) than those with 0-3 allergies (∆F = 27.2, P=0.036). Similar nonsignificant trends occurred in SF36 mental and WOMAC pain and stiffness scores.

Determinants of revision and functional outcome following unicompartmental knee replacement

OBJECTIVE

Unicompartmental Knee Replacement (UKR) has important advantages over total knee replacement (TKR) but has a higher revision rate. Outcomes vary between centres, suggesting that risk factors for revision may be modifiable with changes to patient selection or operative technique. The objective of this study was to determine factors affecting revision, patient-reported outcome and satisfaction following UKR.

METHOD

25,982 cases from three national databases were analysed. Multilevel multivariable regression models were used to examine the effect of patient and surgical factors on implant survival, patient-reported outcome and satisfaction at 6 months and 8 years following UKR.

RESULTS

Of the 25,982 cases, 3862 (14.9%) had pre-operative and 6-month Oxford Knee Scores (OKS). Eight-year survival was 89.1% (95% confidence intervals (CI) 88.3-89.9). OKS increased from 21.9 (SD 7.6) to 37.5 (SD 9.5). Age (Hazard ratio (HR) 0.96 (95% CI 0.96-0.97) per year), male gender (HR 0.86 (95% CI 0.76-0.96)), unit size (HR 0.92 (95% CI 0.86-0.97) per case up to 40 cases/year) and operating surgeon grade (HR 0.78 (95% CI 0.67-0.91) if consultant) predicted improved implant survival. Older patients (≥ 75 years), and those with lower deprivation levels had superior OKS and satisfaction (adjusted mean difference 0.14 (95% CI 0.09-0.20) points per year of age and 0.93 (95% CI 0.60-1.27) per quintile of deprivation). Ethnicity, anxiety and co-morbidities also affected patient-reported outcome.

CONCLUSIONS

This study has identified important predictors of revision and patient-reported outcome following UKR. Older patients, who are least likely to be offered UKR, may derive the greatest benefits. Improved understanding of these factors may improve the long-term outcomes of UKR.

A longitudinal study of quality of life and functional status in total hip and total knee replacement patients

BACKGROUND

Primary total hip and primary total knee surgeries are commonly performed to improve patients' quality of life and functional status.

AIM

This longitudinal retrospective study (N = 851) examined self-reported quality of life and functional status over the preoperative and postoperative periods: 12 months prior to surgery, one month prior to surgery and 12 months following surgery.

METHODS

A linear mixed effects model was used to analyze the changes in quality of life and functional status over the sampling period.

RESULTS

Patients in the convenience sample reported improvements in quality of life and functional status utilizing the SF-12 and Oxford Hip and Oxford Knee, although differences were noted by procedure and gender. Total hip patients tended to demonstrate greater improvement than total knee patients and males reported higher levels of physical and mental quality of life as well as functional status when compared to females. Of particular note was that mental health scores were consistently lower in both total hip and total knee replacement patients across the perioperative period and up to one year postoperative.

CONCLUSION

This study identifies an opportunity for health care providers to proactively address the mental health of total hip and total knee replacement patients throughout their joint replacement trajectory.

The association of comorbid conditions with patient-reported outcomes in Veterans with hip and knee osteoarthritis

There is limited understanding of how comorbid health conditions affect osteoarthritis (OA)-related outcomes. This study examined associations of different comorbidity measures with baseline OA-related patient-reported outcomes (PROs) among patients with hip and knee OA. Data were from patients (N = 300, 9 % female, mean age = 61.1; SD = 9.2) enrolled in a randomized control trial at the Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Separate multivariable regression models, adjusted for demographic and clinical characteristics, examined the association of each comorbidity measure with baseline PROs: pain, physical function, depressive symptoms, fatigue, and insomnia. Comorbidity measures included the Self-Administered Comorbidity Questionnaire (SACQ), conditions reported as activity-limiting (SACQ-AL), and indicators of depression, diabetes, hypertension, and back pain. Mean (SD) numbers of comorbid conditions and activity-limiting conditions were 3.4 (1.8) and 1.6 (1.4), respectively. Comorbidity scores (SACQ overall and SACQ-AL) and individual comorbidity conditions were each associated with worse OA-related PROs adjusting for demographic and clinical factors. Worse SACQ overall and SACQ-AL scores were associated with worse mean scores for pain, depressive symptoms, fatigue, and insomnia (p values <0.01). Additionally, increasing SACQ-AL scores were associated with worse mean scores for function (p < 0.01). Depression was associated with worse pain (p = 0.03), fatigue, and insomnia (p values <0.01). Diabetes was associated with worse fatigue (p = 0.01), depressive symptoms (p = 0.02), and insomnia (p = 0.03). Back pain was associated with worse pain scores (p = 0.02). Results provide evidence that comorbidity burden, particularly activity-limiting conditions, is associated with worse OA-related PROs. Interventions for patients with OA need to address comorbid conditions and their impact on key outcomes.

Telephone follow-up by nurse following total knee arthroplasty - protocol for a randomized clinical trial (NCT 01771315)

BACKGROUND

Due to shorter hospitalization, patients have to take responsibility for their rehabilitation period at a very early stage. The objective of this trial is to study the effects of two treatment schemes following total knee arthroplasty: conventional treatment following discharge from hospital and early follow-up by telephone consultations in addition to conventional treatment following discharge from hospital. The ultimate aim is to increase the effectiveness of the treatment by improving patients' health status, promote self-efficacy, and reduce the number of acute visits to the orthopaedic outpatient clinic during the rehabilitation period.

METHOD/DESIGN

The design is a randomized un-blinded parallel group clinical trial conducted at the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Gentofte Hospital, the Capital Region of Denmark. In total, 116 patients will be allocated by an external randomization program to 2 groups: an intervention group following usual treatment after discharge supplemented by a nurse managed structured follow-up consultation conducted by telephone 4 and 14 days after discharge from hospital and a control group following treatment as usual. The consultations are structured by key subjects relevant to assess the health status according to the VIPS-model (the Swedish acronym for the concepts Well-being, Integrity, Prevention and Safety). The content of the consultations can vary according to the patients´ individual situations and needs. All consultations are conducted by the researcher responsible for the trial. The effect is measured 1, 3, 6 and 12 months post-surgery. The primary outcome is self-reported physical function measured by The Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index. Secondary outcomes are self-reported health-related quality of life, general self-efficacy and the number of acute visits to the orthopaedic outpatient clinic.

DISCUSSION

The result of this trial is expected to provide new knowledge to support the development of targeted and effective follow-up after total knee arthroplasty in order to improve the patients´ health-related knowledge and skills of being able to take actively part in their illness and improve their health status.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01771315.

Psychometric properties of the Late-Life Function and Disability Instrument: a systematic review

Background

The choice of measure for use as a primary outcome in geriatric research is contingent upon the construct of interest and evidence for its psychometric properties. The Late-Life Function and Disability Instrument (LLFDI) has been widely used to assess functional limitations and disability in studies with older adults. The primary aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the current available evidence for the psychometric properties of the LLFDI.

Methods

Published studies of any design reporting results based on administration of the original version of the LLFDI in community-dwelling older adults were identified after searches of 9 electronic databases. Data related to construct validity (convergent/divergent and known-groups validity), test-retest reliability and sensitivity to change were extracted. Effect sizes were calculated for within-group changes and summarized graphically.

Results

Seventy-one studies including 17,301 older adults met inclusion criteria. Data supporting the convergent/divergent and known-groups validity for both the Function and Disability components were extracted from 30 and 18 studies, respectively. High test-retest reliability was found for the Function component, while results for the Disability component were more variable. Sensitivity to change of the LLFDI was confirmed based on findings from 25 studies. The basic lower extremity subscale and overall summary score of the Function component and limitation dimension of the Disability component were associated with the strongest relative effect sizes.

Conclusions

There is extensive evidence to support the construct validity and sensitivity to change of the LLFDI among various clinical populations of community-dwelling older adults. Further work is needed on predictive validity and values for clinically important change. Findings from this review can be used to guide the selection of the most appropriate LLFDI subscale for use an outcome measure in geriatric research and practice.