Can Preoperative Patient-reported Outcome Measures Be Used to Predict Meaningful Improvement in Function After TKA?

BACKGROUND: Despite the overall effectiveness of total knee arthroplasty (TKA), a subset of patients do not experience expected improvements in pain, physical function, and quality of life as documented by patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), which assess a patient's physical and emotional health and pain. It is therefore important to develop preoperative tools capable of identifying patients unlikely to improve by a clinically important margin after surgery. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: The purpose of this study was to determine if an association exists between preoperative PROM scores and patients' likelihood of experiencing a clinically meaningful change in function 1 year after TKA. METHODS: A retrospective study design was used to evaluate preoperative and 1-year postoperative Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) and SF-12 version 2 (SF12v2) scores from 562 patients who underwent primary unilateral TKA. This cohort represented 75% of the 750 patients who underwent surgery during that time period; a total of 188 others (25%) either did not complete PROM scores at the designated times or were lost to follow-up. Minimum clinically important differences (MCIDs) were calculated for each PROM using a distribution-based method and were used to define meaningful clinical improvement. MCID values for KOOS and SF12v2 physical component summary (PCS) scores were calculated to be 10 and 5, respectively. A receiver operating characteristic analysis was used to determine threshold values for preoperative KOOS and SF12v2 PCS scores and their respective predictive abilities. Threshold values defined the point after which the likelihood of clinically meaningful improvement began to diminish. Multivariate regression was used to control for the effect of preoperative mental and emotional health, patient attributes quantified by SF12v2 mental component summary (MCS) scores, on patients' likelihood of experiencing meaningful improvement in function after surgery. RESULTS: Threshold values for preoperative KOOS and SF12v2 PCS scores were a maximum of 58 (area under the curve [AUC], 0.76; p < 0.001) and 34 (AUC, 0.65; p < 0.001), respectively. Patients scoring above these thresholds, indicating better preoperative function, were less likely to experience a clinically meaningful improvement in function after TKA. When accounting for mental and emotional health with a multivariate analysis, the predictive ability of both KOOS and SF12v2 PCS threshold values improved (AUCs increased to 0.80 and 0.71, respectively). Better preoperative mental and emotional health, as reflected by a higher MCS score, resulted in higher threshold values for KOOS and SF12v2 PCS. CONCLUSIONS: We identified preoperative PROM threshold values that are associated with clinically meaningful improvements in functional outcome after TKA. Patients with preoperative KOOS or SF12v2 PCS scores above the defined threshold values have a diminishing probability of experiencing clinically meaningful improvement after TKA. Patients with worse baseline mental and emotional health (as defined by SF12v2 MCS score) have a lower probability of experiencing clinically important levels of functional improvement after surgery. The results of this study are directly applicable to patient-centered informed decision-making tools and may be used to facilitate discussions with patients regarding the expected benefit after TKA. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, prognostic study.

Preoperative patient-reported scores can predict postoperative outcomes after shoulder arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: Total shoulder arthroplasty and reverse total shoulder arthroplasty are increasingly used to improve pain and function in patients with glenohumeral arthritis or cuff tear arthropathy. Our objective was to determine if preoperative patient-reported outcome measures predict which patients will achieve clinically meaningful improvements after shoulder arthroplasty. METHODS: Preoperative and 1-year postoperative 12-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12) Physical Component Summary (PCS) and Mental Component Summary (MCS) scores and American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) pain and function scores were prospectively collected from 107 patients who underwent total or reverse shoulder arthroplasty. The minimum clinically important difference (MCID) defined meaningful clinical improvement. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was used to calculate threshold values and C statistic. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to determine preoperative measures that were indicative of achieving the MCID postoperatively. RESULTS: Threshold values below which patients were more likely to achieve MCID were 12 for ASES function, 25 for ASES pain, 46 for SF-12 PCS, and 42 for SF-12 MCS. Multivariate analysis revealed that preoperative ASES function (area under the curve, 0.79; P = .006) and ASES pain (area under the curve, 0.90; P < .001) measures were predictive of achieving the MCID postoperatively. Patients with higher preoperative SF-12 MCS scores had a higher likelihood of achieving MCID for each measure. CONCLUSION: We determined threshold values that predict clinically meaningful improvement after shoulder arthroplasty. Patients with higher preoperative mental health scores and lower physical function and pain scores were more likely to gain significant benefits from surgery. These results can be used to facilitate shared decision-making and to forecast expected benefits after shoulder arthroplasty.

John Charnley Award: Preoperative Patient-reported Outcome Measures Predict Clinically Meaningful Improvement in Function After THA.

BACKGROUND: Despite the overall effectiveness of total hip arthroplasty (THA), a subset of patients remain dissatisfied with their results because of persistent pain or functional limitations. It is therefore important to develop predictive tools capable of identifying patients at risk for poor outcomes before surgery. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: The purpose of this study was to use preoperative patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) scores to predict which patients undergoing THA are most likely to experience a clinically meaningful change in functional outcome 1 year after surgery. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study design was used to evaluate preoperative and 1-year postoperative SF-12 version 2 (SF12v2) and Hip Disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (HOOS) scores from 537 selected patients who underwent primary unilateral THA. Minimum clinically important differences (MCIDs) were calculated using a distribution-based method. A receiver operating characteristic analysis was used to calculate threshold values, defined as the levels at which substantial changes occurred, and their predictive ability. MCID values for HOOS and SF12v2 physical component summary (PCS) scores were calculated to be 9.1 and 4.6, respectively. We analyzed the effect of SF12v2 mental component summary (MCS) scores, which measure mental and emotional health, on SF12v2 PCS and HOOS threshold values. RESULTS: Threshold values for preoperative HOOS and PCS scores were a maximum of 51.0 (area under the curve [AUC], 0.74; p < 0.001) and 32.5 (AUC, 0.62; p < 0.001), respectively. As preoperative mental and emotional health improved, which was reflected by a higher MCS score, HOOS and PCS threshold values also increased. When preoperative mental and emotional health were taken into account, both HOOS and PCS threshold values' predictive ability improved (AUCs increased to 0.77 and 0.69, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: We identified PROM threshold values that predict clinically meaningful improvements in functional outcome after THA. Patients with a higher level of preoperative function, as suggested by HOOS or PCS scores above the defined threshold values, are less likely to obtain meaningful improvement after THA. Lower preoperative mental and emotional health decreases the likelihood of achieving a clinically meaningful improvement in function after THA. The results of this study may be used to facilitate discussion between physicians and patients regarding the expected benefit after THA and to support the development of patient-based informed decision-making tools. For example, despite significant disease, patients with high preoperative function, as measured by PROM scores, may choose to delay surgery given the low likelihood of experiencing a meaningful improvement postoperatively. Similarly, patients with notably low MCS scores might best be counseled to address mental health issues before embarking on surgery. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, prognostic study.

Biomechanics of reverse total shoulder arthroplasty.

Reverse total shoulder arthroplasty is an effective procedure for treatment of glenohumeral joint disease among patients with severe rotator cuff deficiency. Improvements in prosthetic design are the result of an evolved understanding of both shoulder and joint replacement biomechanics. Although modern generations of the reverse shoulder prosthesis vary in specific design details, they continue to adhere to Grammont's core principles demonstrated by his original Delta III prosthesis. This review article discusses the biomechanics of reverse total shoulder arthroplasty with a focus on elements of implant design and surgical technique that may affect stability, postoperative complications, and functional outcomes.

Anterior temporal lobectomy with amygdalohippocampectomy for mesial temporal sclerosis: predictors of long-term seizure control.

OBJECT: In this paper the authors' goal was to identify preoperative variables that predict long-term seizure freedom among patients with mesial temporal sclerosis (MTS) after single-stage anterior temporal lobectomy and amygdalohippocampectomy (ATL-AH). METHODS: The authors retrospectively reviewed 116 consecutive patients (66 females, mean age at surgery 40.7 years) with refractory seizures and pathologically confirmed MTS who underwent ATL-AH with at least 2 years of follow-up. All patients underwent preoperative MRI and video-electroencephalography (EEG); 106 patients (91.4%) underwent Wada testing and 107 patients (92.2%) had neuropsychological evaluations. The authors assessed the concordance of these 4 studies (defined as test consistent with the side of eventual surgery) and analyzed the impact of preoperative variables on seizure freedom. RESULTS: The median follow-up after surgery was 6.7 years (mean 6.9 years). Overall, 103 patients (89%) were seizure free, and 109 patients (94%) had Engel Class I or II outcome. Concordant findings were highest for video-EEG (100%), PET (100%), MRI (99.0%), and Wada testing (90.4%) and lowest for SPECT (84.6%) and neuropsychological testing (82.5%). Using binary logistic regression analysis (seizure free or not) and Cox proportional hazard analysis (seizure-free survival), less disparity in the Wada memory scores between the ipsilateral and contralateral sides was associated with persistent seizures. CONCLUSIONS: Seizure freedom of nearly 90% can be achieved with ATL-AH in properly selected patients with MTS and concordant preoperative studies. The low number of poor outcomes and exclusion of multistage patients limit the statistical power to determine preoperative variables that predict failure. Strong Wada memory lateralization was associated with excellent long-term outcome and adds important localization information to structural and neurophysiological data in predicting outcome after ATL-AH for MTS.

Extraventricular subependymal giant cell tumor in a child with tuberous sclerosis complex.

Subependymal giant cell tumors (SGCTs) are observed in 5-20% of patients with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) but account for approximately 25% of neurological morbidity. The authors report the case of a 7-year-old girl with TSC and multiple cortical tubers who presented with worsening seizures in the context of the rapid growth of a cystic, calcified, extraventricular SGCT in the right frontal lobe, initially thought to represent a cortical tuber. The tumor and surrounding tubers were excised, and clinical seizures resolved. This is the first report of an extraventricular SGCT in a child with TSC outside the neonatal period.