Preoperative ASES Scores Can Predict Substantial Clinical Benefit at 2 Years Following Total Shoulder Arthroplasty.

Preoperative patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) have been shown to influence outcomes after total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA), although little is known about this relationship. An institutional shoulder arthroplasty registry was retrospectively queried for preoperative and 2-year postoperative 12-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12) and American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) scores for patients who underwent anatomic TSA (aTSA) or reverse TSA (rTSA). Preoperative PROMs were evaluated for their effect on patient achievement of minimal clinically important improvement (MCII) and substantial clinical benefit (SCB). In total, 451 aTSA patients and 93 rTSA patients had preoperative and 2-year follow-up scores. A total of 91.7% and 70.4% of patients achieved MCII and SCB at 2 years, respectively (P<.001). Preoperative ASES scores were more predictive of achieving SCB than MCII (area under the curve [AUC], 0.83 vs 0.71). When accounting for mental and emotional health, the predictive ability of SF-12 physical component threshold values improved (AUC, 0.68). Preoperative threshold PROMs were found to accurately predict achievement of clinically significant outcomes at 2 years. Considering mental and emotional health improved the accuracy of these predictions. These data will assist surgeons and patients alike in setting expectations for outcomes after TSA. [Orthopedics. 2021;44(4):e509-e514.].

Hemiretinal Asymmetry in Peripapillary Vessel Density in Healthy, Glaucoma Suspect, and Glaucoma Eyes.

PURPOSE: To investigate hemiretinal asymmetry in radial peripapillary capillary vessel area density (VAD) of healthy, glaucoma suspect, and glaucoma eyes of varying severity and its diagnostic utility for glaucoma. DESIGN: Population-based, cross-sectional study. METHODS: Optic disc scans (6 × 6 mm) were collected on optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) to obtain VAD and on optical coherence tomography (OCT) to measure circumpapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness. Hemiretinal difference in VAD (hdVAD) was defined as the absolute difference between superior and inferior hemiretinal VAD. Age-adjusted multivariable linear regression of hdVAD on glaucoma severity was performed. Areas under curves (AUCs) were calculated from predicted probabilities generated by multiple logistic regression of glaucoma severity on age-adjusted single and combined parameters. RESULTS: A total of 1,043 eyes of 1,043 participants (587 healthy, 270 suspect, 67 mild, 54 moderate, 65 severe glaucoma) were included. After age adjustment, mean hdVAD was similar between healthy and suspect (P = .225), higher in mild vs suspect (P < .001), and higher in moderate vs mild (P = .018), but lower in severe vs moderate (P = .001). AUCs of hdVAD were highest for discriminating mild (0.685) and moderate (0.681) glaucoma from healthy. Combining hdVAD and global RNFL (gRNFL) yielded the highest AUCs of all parameters for mild (0.818) and any POAG (0.859) and resulted in significantly better diagnostic accuracy than either hdVAD or gRNFL alone (P < .05 for all comparisons). CONCLUSIONS: hdVAD is higher in early glaucoma and may help with early detection when damage is focal, but its diagnostic ability appears less robust in advanced glaucoma when damage is diffuse.

Steps to Measurement Floor of an Optical Microangiography Device in Glaucoma.

PURPOSE: To compare dynamic ranges and steps to measurement floors of peripapillary and macular metrics from a complex signal-based optical microangiography (OMAGC) optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) device for glaucoma with those of OCT measurements. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. METHODS: Imaging of 252 eyes from 173 patients with glaucoma and 123 eyes from 92 subjects without glaucoma from a glaucoma clinic was quantified using custom and commercial software. Metrics from OCT (retinal nerve fiber layer [RNFL], ganglion cell/inner plexiform layer [GCIPL]) and OCTA (custom: peripapillary vessel area density [pVAD], macular vessel area density [mVAD], and macular vessel skeleton density [mVSD]; commercial: peripapillary perfusion density [pPDZ], macular perfusion density [mPDZ], and macular vessel density [mVDZ]) were plotted against visual field mean deviation (MD) with linear change-point analyses, measurement floors, and steps to floors. RESULTS: Mean MD (dB) for glaucomatous eyes was -5.77 (-6.45 to -5.10). The number of eyes with mild glaucoma (MD >-6), moderate glaucoma (MD -6 to -12), and severe glaucoma (MD <-12) were 164, 50, and 38, respectively. pPDZ yielded the lowest estimated floor at -26.6 dB (standard error [SE] 1.53), followed by OCTA macular metrics (-25 to -21 dB; SE 1.03) and pVAD (-17.6 dB, SE 1.06). RNFL and GCIPL produced floors at -17.8 (SE 0.927) and -23.6 dB (SE 1.14). The highest number of steps to measurement floor belonged to RNFL (7.20) and GCIPL (7.33), followed by pPDZ (4.25), mVAD (3.87), and mVSD (3.81), with 2.5 or fewer steps for pVAD, mPDZ, and mVDZ. CONCLUSIONS: pPDZ, mVAD, and mVSD had approximately 4 steps within their dynamic ranges, without true measurement floors, and thus may be useful in evaluating advanced glaucomatous progression. Improving OCTA test-retest repeatability could augment number of steps for OCTA metrics, increasing their clinical utility.

Mortality after large artery occlusion acute ischemic stroke.

Despite randomized trials showing a functional outcome benefit in favor of endovascular therapy (EVT), large artery occlusion acute ischemic stroke is associated with high mortality. We performed a retrospective analysis from a prospectively collected code stroke registry and included patients presenting between November 2016 and April 2019 with internal carotid artery and/or proximal middle cerebral artery occlusions. Ninety-day mortality status from registry follow-up was corroborated with the Social Security Death Index. A multivariable logistic regression model was fitted to determine demographic and clinical characteristics associated with 90-day mortality. Among 764 patients, mortality rate was 26%. Increasing age (per 10 years, OR 1.48, 95% CI 1.25-1.76; p < 0.0001), higher presenting NIHSS (per 1 point, OR 1.05, 95% CI 1.01-1.09, p = 0.01), and higher discharge modified Rankin Score (per 1 point, OR 4.27, 95% CI 3.25-5.59, p < 0.0001) were independently associated with higher odds of mortality. Good revascularization therapy, compared to no EVT, was independently associated with a survival benefit (OR 0.61, 95% CI 0.35-1.00, p = 0.048). We identified factors independently associated with mortality in a highly lethal form of stroke which can be used in clinical decision-making, prognostication, and in planning future studies.

Feedback cues improve the alignment and technique of children performing ACL injury prevention exercises.

OBJECTIVES: The appropriateness of neuromuscular training exercises across different age groups has not yet been investigated, particularly in younger children. The purpose of this study was to determine which neuromuscular training exercises can be performed with proper neutral alignment in various age groups. METHODS: Seven exercises were selected for evaluation in children ranging from 8 to 17 years of age who were recruited from schools and youth sports organisations. Participants completed two trials of each exercise and were judged on maintaining neutral body alignment after receiving visual/verbal instruction on the first trial and feedback cues on the second trial. Three evaluators judged each exercise, which was deemed as correct when at least two evaluators agreed that neutral alignment was maintained. Comparisons were made across ages and between sex using the χ² test or Fisher's exact test. The proportions of participants who performed the exercise correctly were also compared before and after feedback cues were provided. RESULTS: A total of 360 participants were evaluated (8-11 years: 165, 54% female; 12-15 years: 136, 40% female, 16-17 years: 59, 53% female). There were no significant differences in performance across ages and sex for nearly all exercises. The majority of children were not able to complete the exercises with proper alignment. The use of feedback cues significantly increased the proportion of participants who correctly completed the exercise (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate the importance of training coaches and physical education teachers to provide cues that reinforce proper technique during anterior cruciate ligament injury prevention exercises. Children should perform common neuromuscular training exercises with feedback on proper technique. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV (case series).

The Feasibility of Outpatient Shoulder Arthroplasty: Risk Stratification and Predictive Probability Modeling.

Whether shoulder arthroplasty can be performed on an outpatient basis depends on appropriate patient selection. The purpose of this study was to identify risk factors for adverse events (AEs) following shoulder arthroplasty and to generate predictive models to improve patient selection. This was a retrospective review of prospectively collected data using a single institution shoulder arthroplasty registry as well as the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) database, including subjects undergoing hemiarthroplasty, total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA), and reverse TSA. Predicted probability of suitability for same-day discharge was calculated from multivariable logistic models for different patient subgroups based on age, comorbidities, and Charlson/Deyo Index scores. A total of 2314 shoulders (2079 subjects) in the institutional registry met inclusion criteria for this study. Younger age, higher body mass index (BMI), male sex, and prior steroid injection were all significantly associated with suitability for discharge, whereas preoperative narcotic use, comorbidities (heart disease and anemia/other blood disease), and Charlson/Deyo Index score of 2 were associated with AEs that might prevent same-day discharge. Compared with TSA, reverse TSA was associated with less suitability for discharge (P=.01). On querying the ACS-NSQIP database, 15,254 patients were identified. Female sex, BMI less than 35 kg/m2, American Society of Anesthesiologists class III/IV, preoperative anemia, functional dependence, low pre-operative albumin, and hemiarthroplasty were associated with unsuitability for discharge. Males 55 to 59 years old with no comorbidities nor history of narcotic use formed the lowest risk subgroup. Transfusion is the primary driver of AEs. Strategies to avoid this complication should be explored. Risk stratification will improve the ability to identify patients who can safely undergo outpatient shoulder arthroplasty. [Orthopedics. 2021;44(2):e215-e222.].

Intrasession repeatability and intersession reproducibility of peripapillary OCTA vessel parameters in non-glaucomatous and glaucomatous eyes.

OBJECTIVE: To compare intrasession repeatability versus intersession reproducibility of the peripapillary vessel parameters using optical microangiography-based optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) in non-glaucomatous and glaucomatous eyes. METHODS: In an observational, longitudinal study, peripapillary OCTA scans were collected to evaluate intrasession repeatability and intersession reproducibility using within-eye coefficient of variation (CVW) and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Images were quantified using a custom research-oriented quantification software calculating vessel area density (VAD) and flux and a commercially developed, clinic-oriented quantification software (Cirrus 11.0, Carl Zeiss Meditec) calculating perfusion density (PD) and flux index (FI). Effect of signal strength on the reliability of OCTA parameters was also evaluated. RESULTS: Among 120 non-glaucomatous eyes, intrasession CVW were 4.2% for VAD, 5.3% for flux, 1.5% for PD and 2.0% for FI. The intersession CVW were 6.5% for VAD, 8.0% for flux, 2.0% for PD and 3.2% for FI. The intrasession ICC ranged from 0.928 to 0.945, and intersession ICC ranged from 0.811 to 0.866. From 118 glaucomatous eyes, intrasession CVW was 9.0% for VAD, 10.3% for flux, 1.7% for PD and 2.3% for FI. The intersession CVW was 12.1% for VAD, 14.2% for flux, 2.3% for PD and 3.5% for FI. The intrasession ICC ranged from 0.904 to 0.972, and intersession ICC ranged from 0.855 to 0.955. Signal strength was significantly positively associated with OCTA vessel parameters (p<0.0001) for both groups. CONCLUSION: Peripapillary OCTA vessel parameters had greater intrasession repeatability compared to intersession reproducibility in both non-glaucomatous and glaucomatous eyes. The built-in commercially developed quantification software demonstrated greater agreement than the custom research-oriented quantification software.

Survivorship of a Medialized Glenoid and Lateralized Onlay Humerus Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty Is High at Midterm Follow-up.

BACKGROUND: Reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) is a common treatment of a variety of disabling shoulder conditions. The purpose of this study was to determine revision-free survivorship after RSA using a medialized glenoid and lateralized onlay-type humerus implant and to identify etiologies of revision. METHODS: All RSAs performed using the Comprehensive® Reverse Shoulder System (Zimmer Biomet, Inc.; Warsaw, IN, USA) at one institution from 2008 to 2014 were identified through a retrospective review. Charts were reviewed to determine whether the RSA was a primary or revision surgery. Patients were contacted by telephone, and survivorship was defined as no subsequent surgery after RSA. Of the 526 RSAs performed, responses were obtained from 403 patients (77%). A Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed to determine survivorship over time. A χ 2 test was used to determine differences between revision rates after RSA. RESULTS: Minimum follow-up was 3 years, and average follow-up was 4.83 ± 1.60 years. Survivorship was 96% at 2 years and 93% at 5 years after RSA. Revisions were performed for instability (n = 8), humeral tray-taper junction failure (n = 5), acute fracture (n = 4), infection (n = 3), glenoid loosening (n = 3), osteolysis (n = 1), or notching (n = 1). Fourteen of the 151 patients (9.2%) who had surgery prior to RSA required revision after RSA. Having shoulder surgery prior to RSA was associated with higher rates of subsequent revision after RSA. CONCLUSION: Overall, survivorship after RSA using a medialized glenoid and lateralized onlay-type humerus RSA is high, and prostheses implanted in native shoulders have lower rates of revision at midterm follow-up. Instability (1.9%) was the most common reason for revision.

Test characteristics of a 5-element cortical screen for identifying anterior circulation large vessel occlusion ischemic strokes.

OBJECTIVE: Stroke severity screens typically include cortical signs, such as field cut, aphasia, neglect, gaze preference, and dense hemiparesis (FANG-D). The accuracy and reliability of these signs, when assessed by emergency physicians, to identify patients with anterior circulation large vessel occlusion (ACLVO) acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is unknown. We hypothesized that the FANG-D screen applied by emergency physicians would be sensitive and reliable for identifying ACLVO AIS. METHODS: We conducted a prospective cohort study enrolling consecutive patients with suspected AIS presenting within 4.5 hours of last known well to the emergency department (ED). Emergency physicians performed the FANG-D screen prior to, and blinded to the results of, imaging. The imaging standard was defined as a non-contrast computed tomography (CT) for identifying hemorrhage and CT angiography for identifying large vessel occlusion. ACLVO was defined as an occlusion of the internal carotid artery, the middle cerebral artery, or its first branch. A convenience sample of patients had a duplicate FANG-D screen performed by a second emergency physician to assess interobserver agreement. RESULTS: We performed 608 FANG-D assessments on 491 patients presenting to the ED, of whom 64 (10%) had an ACLVO. FANG-D had a sensitivity of 91% (confidence interval [CI] = 81%-96%) and a specificity of 35% (CI = 31%-39%) for identifying ACLVO. Interobserver agreement was tested on 133 patients and was found to be substantial, with a Fleiss' kappa of 0.77 (CI = 0.64-0.88). CONCLUSIONS: The FANG-D screen is a sensitive test for identifying ACLVO when performed by emergency physicians and demonstrates substantial interrater reliability.

Characteristics of Soccer Players Undergoing Primary Hip Arthroscopy for Femoroacetabular Impingement: A Sex- and Competitive Level-Specific Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Radiographic features of femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) are prevalent in kicking athletes, especially soccer players. However, there remains a paucity of data on the characteristics of symptomatic soccer players with an established diagnosis of FAI. PURPOSE: To report on patient demographics, injury, and clinical and radiographic characteristics in a large cohort of soccer players who underwent primary hip arthroscopy for FAI and to perform a sex- and competition level-specific analysis of these data. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. METHODS: An institutional hip preservation registry containing 3318 consecutive primary hip arthroscopies for FAI performed between March 2010 and January 2016 was retrospectively reviewed for patients identified as soccer players. Patient demographics, injury characteristics, and clinical and radiographic findings were recorded, and sex- and competition level-specific differences were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 421 hips (336 soccer players) were identified, including 257 (61.0%) men and 164 (39.0%) women. Of these, 105 (24.9%) were reported as highly competitive, 194 (46.1%) as competitive, 75 (17.8%) as recreational, and 47 (11.2%) did not report a level. The majority of the 336 soccer players (231 hips; 55%) reported chronic hip pain lasting >6 months with no acute injury at the initial visit. Alpha angle, coronal center-edge angle, and femoral version on computed tomography scan measured 64.5°± 12°, 32.3°± 9°, and 13.7°± 10° (mean ± SD), respectively. There were 230 (55%) hips with a type 2 anterior inferior iliac spine (AIIS), 78 (18.5%) with a type 1 AIIS, and 19 (4.5%) with a type 3 AIIS. When compared with male athletes, female athletes had more hip internal rotation on physical examination (14.9° vs 8°; P < .001), lower alpha angles (57.5° vs 68.5°; P < .001), and lower-grade AIIS morphology (P = .003). Acute injury as the reason for hip symptoms was most likely in the highly competitive group (P < .001). CONCLUSION: Female soccer players were more likely to have less severe clinical and radiographic findings than were male soccer players. Acute injury as the cause of hip symptoms was more common in highly competitive players. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Focusing on soccer players with an established FAI diagnosis, the findings of this study suggest that there are sex- and competition level-based differences in the presentation, physical examination, and imaging characteristics among the players. These findings can better guide clinicians in the diagnostic evaluation of symptomatic soccer players with FAI and in tailoring treatment recommendations to specific cohorts.

Clinical Utility of Triplicate En Face Image Averaging for Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography in Glaucoma and Glaucoma Suspects.

PRéCIS:: Averaging triplicate en face angiograms of the radial peripapillary capillary (RPC) plexus with optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) improves vessel visualization, reduces vessel density parameters, and increases the diagnostic accuracy for glaucoma of one such parameter. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that triplicate averaging of the RPC layer improves visualization and diagnostic accuracy of OCTA for glaucoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study involving 63 primary open-angle glaucoma patients and 70 age-matched glaucoma suspects. Triplicate 6×6 mm OCTA scans of the optic nerve head were acquired, and the RPC layer was extracted. RPC en face images were registered and averaged. Parameters of global entropy, global standard deviation, local texture correlation, local homogeneity, signal-to-noise ratio, and intercapillary distance were used to measure the change in visualization with averaging. Vessel area density (VAD), vessel skeleton density (VSD), and flux parameters were calculated in a 2.8 mm annulus excluding the optic disc. The diagnostic accuracy of these parameters for glaucoma was assessed by calculating the area under the receiver operating curve (AUC) values. RESULTS: Three-frame averaging resulted in decreased global entropy and global standard deviation (Ps<0.001), and increased local texture correlation, local homogeneity, signal-to-noise ratio, and intercapillary distance (Ps<0.001). Averaged images also had reduced VAD, VSD, and flux (Ps<0.001). AUC was significantly increased for VSD after image averaging (P=0.018), while no significant change in AUC was observed for VAD (P=0.229) or flux (P=0.193). CONCLUSIONS: Triplicate averaging improves visualization of the RPC layer and the diagnostic accuracy of VSD for glaucoma. The impact of image averaging on OCTA diagnostic performance and other potential applications warrants further exploration.

Teaching Impact on Telestroke Nurse Recognition of Large Vessel Occlusion Computerized Tomography Perfusion Patterns.

Background and Purpose- A distinguishing feature of our Stroke Network is telestroke nurses who remotely facilitate evaluations. To enable expeditious transfer of large vessel occlusion (LVO) acute ischemic stroke patients presenting to nonthrombectomy centers, the telestroke nurses must immediately identify color thresholded computerized tomography perfusion (CTP) patterns consistent with internal carotid artery (ICA), middle cerebral artery (MCA) segment 1(M1), and MCA segment 2 (M2) LVO acute ischemic stroke. Methods- We developed a 6-month series of tutorials and tests for 16 telestroke nurses, focusing on CTP pattern recognition consistent with ICA, M1, or M2 LVO acute ischemic stroke. We simultaneously conducted a prospective cohort study to evaluate the impact of this intervention. Results- Telestroke nurses demonstrated good accuracy in detecting ICA, M1, or M2 LVO during the first 3 months of teaching (83%-94% accurate). This significantly improved during the last 3 months (99%-100%), during which the likelihood of correctly identifying the presence of any one of these LVOs exceeded that of the first 3 months (P<0.001). There was a higher probability of correctly identifying any CTP pattern as consistent with either an ICA, M1, or M2 occlusion versus other types of occlusions or nonocclusions (odds ratio, 5.22 [95% CI, 3.2-8.5]). Over time, confidence for recognizing CTP patterns consistent with an ICA, M1, or M2 LVO did not differ significantly. Conclusions- A series of tutorials and tests significantly increased the likelihood of telestroke nurses correctly identifying CTP patterns consistent with ICA, M1, or M2 LVOs, with the benefit of these tutorials and test reviews peaking and plateauing at 4 months.

Assessment of Vessel Density on Non-Contrast Computed Tomography to Detect Basilar Artery Occlusion.

INTRODUCTION: Basilar artery occlusion (BAO) may be clinically occult due to variable and non-specific symptomatology. We evaluated the qualitative and quantitative determination of a hyperdense basilar artery (HDBA) on non-contrast computed tomography (NCCT) brain for the diagnosis of BAO. METHODS: We conducted a case control study of patients with confirmed acute BAO vs a control group of suspected acute stroke patients without BAO. Two EM attending physicians, one third-year EM resident, and one medical student performed qualitative and quantitative assessments for the presence of a HDBA on axial NCCT images. Our primary outcome measures were sensitivity and specificity for BAO. Our secondary outcomes were inter-rater and intra-rater reliability of the qualitative and quantitative assessments. RESULTS: We included 60 BAO and 65 control patients in our analysis. Qualitative assessment of the hyperdense basilar artery sign was poorly sensitive (54%-72%) and specific (55%-89%). Quantitative measurement improved the specificity of hyperdense basilar artery assessment for diagnosing BAO, with a threshold of 61.0-63.8 Hounsfield units demonstrating relatively high specificity of 85%-94%. There was moderate inter-rater agreement for the qualitative assessment of HDBA (Fleiss' kappa statistic 0.508, 95% confidence interval: 0.435-0.581). Agreement improved for quantitative assessments, but still fell in the moderate range (Shrout-Fleiss intraclass correlation coefficient: 0.635). Intra-rater reliability for the quantitative assessments of the two attending physician reviewers demonstrated substantial consistency. CONCLUSION: Our results highlight the importance of carefully examining basilar artery density when interpreting the NCCT of patients with altered consciousness or other signs and symptoms concerning for an acute basilar artery occlusion. If the Hounsfield unit density of the basilar artery exceeds 61 Hounsfield units, BAO should be highly suspected.

Developing and Monitoring a Standard-of-Care Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T Cell Clinical Quality and Regulatory Program.

As the world of cellular therapy expands to include immune effector cell (IEC) products such as commercial chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells, quality management (QM) professionals are faced with creating either new IEC stand-alone programs or expand existing hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) programs to promote patient safety and be aligned with quality, regulatory, and accreditation requirements. The team professionals at City of Hope (COH) recently expanded the quality HCT program to include IEC products and, in doing so, implemented new regulatory infrastructure while maintaining high quality patient care. At COH, we developed the quality structure of our cellular therapy program through collaborations between quality, regulatory, and CAR T patient care committees, which included physicians and nurse coordinators. To ensure the quality of our program, we monitor data collection and reporting, perform quarterly proactive audits of, for example, outcome analysis, and measure selected end-points for benchmarking purposes. QM professionals play a critical role in the monitoring and evaluation processes and provide guidance on how to implement accreditation requirements and what impact the requirements may have on care management. Here we describe the process by which COH expanded our HCT QM program to include IEC therapy. We share examples of how we developed our overall program structure and other key items such as how we addressed patient care management and accreditation to apprise other programs that wish to create and/or expand existing programs.

A Randomized Study of a Strength Training Program to Prevent Injuries in Runners of the New York City Marathon.

BACKGROUND: Lower extremity overuse injuries are common among runners, especially first-time marathoners. Hip abductor and quadriceps strengthening is often recommended to reduce running-related injuries. HYPOTHESIS: A 12-week strength training program would decrease the rate of overuse injuries resulting in marathon noncompletion and improve race finishing time. STUDY DESIGN: Randomized trial. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 2. METHODS: Twelve weeks before the New York City Marathon, first-time marathon runners age 18 years and older were randomized into a strength training group or an observation group. The strength training group was instructed to perform a 10-minute program 3 times weekly using written and video instruction. This program targeted the quadriceps, hip abductor, and core muscle groups. Injuries were self-reported through biweekly surveys, with major injuries being those that resulted in marathon noncompletion and minor injuries being those that impaired training or race performance. RESULTS: A total of 720 runners were enrolled (mean age, 35.9 ± 9.4 years; 69.4% female), of whom 583 runners started the marathon and 579 completed it. The incidence of major injury was 8.9% and minor injury was 48.5%. Fifty two of 64 major injuries were overuse, of which 20 were bone stress injuries. The incidence of overuse injury resulting in marathon noncompletion was 7.1% in the strength training group and 7.3% in the observation group (risk ratio, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.57-1.63; P = 0.90). The mean finishing time was 5 hours 1 ± 60 minutes in the strength training group and 4 hours 58 ± 55 minutes in the observation group (P = 0.35). CONCLUSION: There is a high prevalence of injury among first-time marathon runners, but this self-directed strength training program did not decrease overuse injury incidence resulting in marathon noncompletion. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Prevention strategies such as strength training need to be developed and evaluated through clinical trials to reduce the high prevalence of overuse injuries in runners, especially for high-risk populations such as first-time marathon runners.

How Should We Define Clinically Significant Outcome Improvement on the iHOT-12?

BACKGROUND: There is increased emphasis on efficiently administering patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs). The International Hip Outcome Tool-12 (iHOT-12) is a short-form version of the iHOT-33, and relatively little is known about clinically significant outcomes using the iHOT-12. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: The purpose of this study was to define minimal clinically important difference (MCID) and patient acceptable symptomatic state (PASS) for the iHOT-12 and to identify predictors for achieving these psychometric end points in patients undergoing arthroscopic treatment of femoroacetabular impingement (FAI). METHODS: Data was prospectively collected and retrospectively analyzed as part of an institutional hip preservation repository. One hundred and twenty patients were included; mean age and body mass index (BMI) were 38.7 years and 25.9, respectively. A majority of patients were female (67.5%) and white (81.7%) and participated in recreational sports (79.2%). The iHOT-12 was administered pre-operatively and at 1-year follow-up to patients undergoing primary hip arthroscopy for FAI. The following anchor question was also asked at 1-year follow-up: "Taking into account all the activities you have during your daily life, your level of pain, and also your functional impairment, do you consider that your current state is satisfactory?" MCID was calculated using a distribution-based method. Receiver-operating characteristic analysis with area under the curve was used to confirm the significance of the PASS threshold. RESULTS: Mean iHOT-12 scores improved from 35.6 at pre-operative assessment to 70.7 at 1-year follow-up. Patients indicating satisfaction with their outcome improved from 37.5 pre-operatively to 79.0 at 1-year follow-up. MCID value for the iHOT-12 was 13.0. The PASS threshold was 63.0, indicating an excellent predictive value that patients scoring above this threshold were likely to have met an acceptable symptom state. Worker's compensation patients and those with increased BMI were less likely to achieve PASS; lower pre-operative iHOT-12 score was predictive for achieving MCID, and achieving MCID was predictive for achieving PASS. CONCLUSION: This is the first study to define PASS and MCID for the iHOT-12, which measures clinically significant outcome improvement comparably to that of other commonly used hip PROMs. As its use becomes more widespread, the iHOT-12 data-points presented in this study can be used to determine clinically significant improvement of patient-reported outcomes.

PROMIS physical function underperforms psychometrically relative to American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score in patients undergoing anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) physical function computer adaptive test (PF-CAT) relative to the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score in patients with glenohumeral osteoarthritis undergoing primary anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA). METHODS: A retrospective study of an institutional TSA registry was performed. Preoperative PROMIS PF-CAT and ASES scores were collected. Floor and ceiling effects were determined, and convergent validity was established through Pearson correlations. Rasch partial credit modeling was used for psychometric analysis of the validity of PF-CAT and ASES question items. Person-item maps were generated to characterize the distribution of question responses along the latent dimension of shoulder disability. RESULTS: Responses from 179 patients (184 shoulders) were included. PF-CAT had a moderate correlation to ASES (r = 0.487; P < .001), with no floor or ceiling effects; ASES had a 1.1% floor effect and no ceiling effect. With iterative Rasch model item-reduction analysis eliminating poorly fitting question items, all possible PF-CAT items were eliminated after 6 iterations. With ASES, just 1 function question item was dropped. Person-item maps showed ASES to be superior to PROMIS PF-CAT psychometrically, with sequential and improved coverage of the latent dimension of shoulder disability. CONCLUSION: Despite moderate correlation with ASES, PROMIS PF-CAT demonstrated inferior validity and psychometric properties in patients undergoing TSA. PF-CAT should not replace the ASES in this population of patients.

Preoperative patient expectations of elective reverse shoulder arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to determine patients' preoperative expectations before primary elective reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA). We hypothesized that younger patients, patients with better preoperative function, patients with shoulder osteoarthritis (OA), and patients with no prior joint replacements would have higher expectations of RSA. METHODS: We prospectively studied 333 primary RSAs performed for cuff tear arthropathy (n = 242), OA (n = 68), or post-traumatic arthritis (n = 23). Expectations were assessed preoperatively using the Hospital for Special Surgery's shoulder surgery expectations survey. Preoperative patient-reported measures were assessed with the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons shoulder score; Shoulder Activity Scale score; Short Form 12 mental component and physical component scores; and visual analog scale scores for pain, fatigue, and general health. A Poisson regression model was performed to control for potential confounding variables. RESULTS: Relief of night-time pain, relief of daytime pain, improvement in self-care, improvement in the ability to drive or put on a seat belt, and improvement in the ability to perform daily activities were reported as "very important" by approximately half of patients. No association was found between age and overall expectations. Multivariate analysis showed that better preoperative Shoulder Activity Scale and Short Form 12 physical component scores were associated with greater expectations (P < .001). OA was associated with greater expectations compared with cuff tear arthropathy (P < .001). A history of either contralateral RSA or any joint replacement was associated with lower expectations (P < .001). CONCLUSION: Patients have the highest expectations for pain relief and the performance of simple tasks after RSA. Patients with higher preoperative function, OA, and no previous joint replacements have greater expectations of RSA.

Clinically Meaningful Improvement After Treatment of Cartilage Defects of the Knee With Osteochondral Grafts.

BACKGROUND: Mosaicplasty and fresh osteochondral allograft transplantation (OCA) are popular cartilage restoration techniques that involve the single-stage implantation of viable, mature hyaline cartilage-bone dowels into chondral lesions of the knee. Recently, there has been greater focus on what represents a clinically relevant change in outcomes reporting, and commonly applied metrics for measuring clinical significance include the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) and substantial clinical benefit (SCB). PURPOSE: To define the MCID and SCB after mosaicplasty or OCA for the International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) subjective form and Knee Outcome Survey-Activities of Daily Living (KOS-ADL) and to determine patient factors that are predictive of achieving the MCID and SCB after mosaicplasty or OCA. STUDY DESIGN: Cohort study (diagnosis); Level of evidence, 3. METHODS: An institutional cartilage registry was reviewed to identify patients who underwent mosaicplasty or OCA. The decision to perform either mosaicplasty or OCA was generally based on chondral defect size. The IKDC and KOS-ADL were administered preoperatively and at a minimum of 2 years postoperatively. Patient responses to the outcome measures were aggregated, and the MCID and SCB of these outcome scores were calculated with anchor-based methods. Multivariate analysis adjusted for age and sex was performed to identify patient factors predictive of achieving the MCID and SCB. RESULTS: Of the 372 eligible patients, 151 (41%) were lost to follow-up, 46 (12%) had incomplete preoperative outcome scores and 2 were treated with OCA of the tibia and therefore excluded. In total, 173 knees were analyzed (n = 173 patients; mean age, 33.0 years; 37% female). Seventy-five (43%) and 98 (57%) knees were treated with mosaicplasty and OCA, respectively. The mean ± SD MCIDs for the IKDC and KOS-ADL were 17 ± 3.9 and 10 ± 3.7, respectively. The SCBs for the IKDC and KOS-ADL were 30 ± 6.9 and 17 ± 3.9, respectively. Univariate analysis demonstrated no association between procedure (mosaicplasty or OCA) and likelihood of achieving the MCID or SCB. In the multivariate analysis, lower preoperative IKDC and KOS-ADL scores, higher preoperative Marx Activity Rating Scale scores, lower preoperative 36-Item Short Form Health Survey pain scores, and a history of ≤1 prior ipsilateral knee surgical procedure were predictive of achieving the MCID and/or SCB. CONCLUSION: These values can be used to define a clinically meaningful improvement for future outcome studies. For surgeons considering mosaicplasty or OCA for their patients, these results can help guide clinical decision making and manage patient expectations before surgery.

Effect of preoperative patient expectations on outcomes after reverse total shoulder arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of preoperative expectations on outcomes after reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA). We hypothesized that patients with greater expectations would have better outcomes. METHODS: Patients undergoing primary RSA completed the Hospital for Special Surgery's Shoulder Expectations Survey preoperatively. Preoperative and 2-year postoperative clinical outcomes were measured with the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) Standardized Shoulder Assessment Form, Shoulder Activity Scale (SAS), 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), and visual analog scales (VASs). Pearson correlations were used to assess the relationship between the number of expectations and outcomes. Differences in outcomes between those with higher and lower levels of expectations for each expectation question were assessed by independent samples t test. Multivariable linear regression analysis was used to control for potential confounding factors. RESULTS: We evaluated 135 patients at 2 years postoperatively. Patients had higher expectations for relieving pain, improving self-care, improving ability to perform daily activities, and improving ability to drive or put on a seatbelt. Patients with a greater number of high expectations preoperatively did not have better ASES, SAS, or VAS pain scores postoperatively. However, higher expectations for relieving nighttime pain was associated with ASES (ß = 7.0, P = .048) and VAS pain scores (ß = -5.9, P = .047) as well as 2-year improvement of VAS pain (ß = -6.1, P = .039). Higher expectations for improving the ability to participate in nonoverhead sports was associated with improvements in SAS (ß = 2.8, P = .020). CONCLUSION: A higher level of expectations for relief of nighttime pain and improving ability to participate in nonoverhead sports is associated with improved outcomes after RSA.