Minimum Clinically Important Difference: A Metric That Matters in the Age of Patient-Reported Outcomes.

Abstract

As the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) is increasingly utilized in orthopaedic research and clinical practice, there is not a consensus regarding the minimum clinically important difference (MCID) calculation. The varied MCID calculation methods can lead to a range of possible values, which limits the translatability of research efforts. The completion rate and follow-up period also influence MCID values and should be reported alongside study results.