Completion Rates for PROMIS Physical Function Surveys Compared with Legacy PROMs in Patients Undergoing Cervical Spine Surgery

Abstract

Objective The aim of this study is to compare completion between PROMIS physical function (PF) and legacy PROMs among cervical spine patients. Methods A surgical registry was reviewed for cervical spine procedures performed from May 2015 to June 2020. Patient demographics, spinal pathologies, and perioperative characteristics were recorded. Legacy PROMs included Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), neck disability index (NDI), and 12-Item Short-Form physical component summary (SF-12 PCS). All outcome measures were collected preoperatively and up to 2-years postoperatively. Descriptive statistics were performed. McNemar’s test compared completion rates for individual PROMs at each timepoint. Overall longitudinal completion rates were compared between PROMIS-PF and legacy PROMs using a paired t-test. Results A total of 302 patients were included. Most patients had a spinal pathology of herniated nucleus pulposus (80.8%). Survey completion rates were significantly lower for PROMIS-PF compared to legacy PROMs from the preoperative through 6-months postoperative timepoint (all p<0.001) and were significantly greater for PROMIS-PF at the 2-year timepoint (p<0.001). Completion rates did not significantly differ at 1-year (all p>0.170). Overall completion rates were significantly lower for PROMIS-PF (p<0.001). Conclusion A greater proportion of cervical spine patients completed legacy PROMs at preoperative and earlier postoperative timepoints. This difference was resolved by 1-year postoperatively and reversed by 2-years. Overall, patients completed a smaller percentage of assigned PROMIS-PF surveys than legacy PROMs. Although overall completion rates were lower for PROMIS-PF, patients may be more likely to complete PROMIS than legacy PROMs at long-term follow up.