Veterans RAND Research Articles

Effect of Baseline Veterans RAND-12 Mental Composite Score on Postoperative Patient-Reported Outcome Measures for Cervical Disk Replacement.

Retrospective review. To examine the effect of baseline Veterans RAND-12 (VR-12) Mental Composite Score (MCS) on clinical outcomes in patients undergoing cervical disk replacement (CDR) for herniated disk. Few studies in spine surgery have evaluated the impact of preoperative VR-12 MCS on postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing CDR. Patients undergoing CDR for herniated disk were separated into 2 cohorts based on the VR-12 MCS standardized mean: VR-12 MCS<50 (worse mental health) and VR-12 MCS≥50 (better mental health). Patient-reported outcome measures of VR-12 MCS, VR-12 Physical Composite Score, Short Form-12 (SF-12) MCS, SF-12 Physical Composite Score, Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Physical Function, Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Visual Analog Scale (VAS) Neck Pain, VAS Arm Pain, and Neck Disability Index were collected at preoperative and up to 2-year postoperative time points. In all, 109 patients were identified, with 50 patients in the worse mental health cohort. The worse mental health cohort reported inferior patient-reported outcome measures in all domains at preoperative, 6-week postoperative, and final postoperative time points. For 6-week postoperative improvement, the worse mental health cohort reported greater improvement for VR-12 MCS, SF-12 MCS, and PHQ-9. For final postoperative improvement, the worse mental health cohort reported greater improvement in VR-12 MCS and SF-12 MCS. Minimum clinically important difference achievement rates were higher in the worse mental health cohort for VR-12 MCS, SF-12 MCS, and PHQ-9. Patients undergoing cervical disk replacement for herniated disk with worse baseline mental health reported inferior clinical outcomes in mental health, physical function, pain, and disability outcomes throughout the postoperative period. Patients with worse baseline mental health demonstrated greater clinically meaningful improvement in mental health. In cervical disk replacement patients, those with worse baseline mental health may report inferior postoperative clinical outcomes but experience greater rates of tangible improvement in mental health.

Preoperative Predictors of Arthroscopic Partial Meniscectomy Outcomes: The APM Index Score

Background: Preoperative risk factors contributing to poor outcomes after arthroscopic partial meniscectomy (APM) have not yet been consolidated and codified into an index scoring system used to predict APM success. Purpose: To create an index score using available preoperative factors to predict the likelihood of favorable postoperative outcomes after APM. Study Design: Case-control study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: A consecutive cohort of patients undergoing primary APM were enrolled in this study. Patients completed pre- and postoperative patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) questionnaires that included the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), visual analog scale (VAS) for pain, Veterans RAND 12-Item Health Survey (VR-12 Physical and Mental), and Marx Activity Rating Scale (MARS). Multivariable logistic regression models were performed to evaluate independent predictors of KOOS Pain, Symptoms, and Activities of Daily Living scores and achievement of the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) and substantial clinical benefit (SCB). The authors assigned points to each variable proportional to its odds ratio, rounded to the nearest integer, to generate the index score. Results: In total, 468 patients (mean age, 49 years [SD, 10.4 years; range, 19-81 years]) were included in this study. In the univariate analysis, shorter symptom duration, lower Kellgren-Lawrence (KL) grade, lower preoperative KOOS Pain value, and lower VR-12 Physical score were associated with a higher likelihood of clinical improvement at 1 year. In the multivariable model for clinical improvement with MCID, symptom duration (<3 months: OR, 3.00 [95% CI, 1.45-6.19]; 3-6 months: OR, 2.03 [95% CI, 1.10-3.72], compared with >6 months), KL grade (grade 0: OR, 3.54 [95% CI, 1.66-7.54]; grade 1: OR, 3.04 [95% CI, 1.48-6.26]; grade 2: OR, 2.31 [95% CI, 1.02-5.27], compared with grade 3), and preoperative KOOS Pain value (score <45: OR, 3.00 [95% CI, 1.57-5.76]; score of 45-60: OR, 2.80 [95% CI, 1.47-5.35], compared with score >60) were independent significant predictors for clinical improvement. The scoring algorithm demonstrated that a higher total score predicted a higher likelihood of achieving the MCID: 0 = 40%, 1 = 68%, 2 = 80%, 3 = 89%, and 4 = 96%. Conclusion: Using this model, the authors developed an index score that, using preoperative factors, can help identify which patients will achieve clinical improvement after APM. Longer symptom duration and higher KL grade were associated with a decreased likelihood of clinical improvement as measured by KOOS Pain at 1 year postoperatively.

Deep Surgical Site Infection after Fracture Has a Profound Effect on Functional Outcomes.

Fracture-related infection is one of the most challenging complications in orthopaedic trauma surgery. However, the effect of infection on functional and pain-related outcomes has not been well established. The aims of this study were to evaluate functional recovery for patients with fracture and a deep surgical site infection compared with patients with fracture without infection and to evaluate whether pain severity, social support, and preinjury mental health have a moderating effect on the magnitude and direction of the relationship between deep surgical site infection and functional recovery. This is a secondary retrospective cohort study using prospectively collected data from the VANCO trial (Local Antibiotic Therapy to Reduce Infection After Operative Treatment of Fractures at High Risk of Infection) and the OXYGEN (Supplemental Perioperative Oxygen to Reduce Surgical Site Infection After High Energy Fracture Surgery) trial. In this study, 2,116 patients with tibial plateau, pilon, or calcaneal fractures at high risk for infection were included. Patients were divided into cohorts of patients who experienced a deep surgical site infection and those who did not. The primary outcome measure was the functional outcome using the Veterans RAND 12-Item Health Survey (VR-12). After controlling for covariates, deep surgical site infection was independently associated with functional outcome, with a 3.3-point reduction in the VR-12 Physical Component Score, and pain severity was independently associated with functional outcome, with a 2.5-point reduction in the VR-12 Physical Component Score. Furthermore, the Brief Pain Inventory pain severity demonstrated an important moderating effect on the relationship between infection and functional outcome. In patients with lower pain scores, infection had a large negative impact on functional outcome, whereas, in patients with higher pain scores, infection had no significant impact on functional outcome. Furthermore, the functional outcome in the entire cohort remains at only 61% of baseline. This study documents the negative impact of postoperative infection on functional recovery after injury, as well as the novel finding of pain severity as an important moderating factor. This study emphasizes not only the importance of developing effective interventions designed to reduce postoperative infection, but also the role that factors that moderate pain severity plays in limiting recovery of physical function. Prognostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Health-related quality of life among prostate cancer survivors with metastatic disease and non-metastatic disease and men without a cancer history in the USA.

Few studies have comprehensively compared health-related quality of life (HRQoL) between metastatic prostate cancer survivors, survivors with non-metastatic disease, and men without a cancer history. We used the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare Health Outcomes Survey (SEER-MHOS) data linkage to identify men aged ≥ 65 years enrolled in Medicare Advantage (MA) plans. Prostate cancer survivors were diagnosed between 1988 and 2017 and completed MHOS surveys between 1998 and 2019. We analyzed data from752 metastatic prostate cancer survivors (1040 survey records), 19,583 localized or regional prostate cancer survivors (non-metastatic; 30,121 survey records), and 784,305 men aged ≥ 65 years without a cancer history in the same SEER regions (1.15 million survey records). We used clustered linear regressions to compare HRQoL measures at the person-level using the Veterans RAND 12 Item Health Survey (VR-12) T-scores for general health and physical and mental component summaries. Compared to men without a cancer history, prostate cancer survivors were older, more likely to be married, and had higher socioeconomic status. Compared to men without a cancer history, metastatic prostate cancer survivors reported lower general health (T-score differences [95% confidence interval]: - 6.26, [- 7.14, - 5.38], p < .001), physical health (- 4.33, [- 5.18, - 3.48], p < .001), and mental health (- 2.64, [- 3.40, - 1.88], p < .001) component summaries. Results were similar for other VR-12 T-scores. In contrast, non-metastatic prostate cancer survivors reported similar VR-12 T-scores as men without a cancer history. Further analyses comparing metastatic and non-metastatic prostate cancer survivors support these findings. Interventions to improve health-related quality of life for men diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer merit additional investigation. Interventions to improve health-related quality of life for metastatic prostate cancer survivors merit additionalinvestigation.

Changes in Quality of Life Among Collegiate Athletes During COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant effect on the mental health of athletes. How this has affected quality of life (QoL), specifically in the college population, is poorly defined. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the mental and physical QoL will have decreased in collegiate athletes as compared with before the pandemic. Cross-sectional study. Level 3. Division I athletes from a total of 23 varsity teams at a single institution completed surveys between 2018 and 2022. QoL was assessed using the Veterans RAND 12-Item Health Survey (VR-12). VR-12 scores were separated into mental component scores (MCS) and physical component scores (PCS). Separate linear mixed effects models evaluated changes in MCS and PCS from pre-COVID to during COVID overall, as well as differences in changes by sex and sport type (individual, team). For all athletes, the PCS increased (54.6 [95% CI 54.4-54.7] vs 55.1 [54.9-55.3]; P < 0.01) and the MCS decreased (55.2 [54.9-55.5] vs 53.5 [53.1-53.8]; P < 0.01) from pre-COVID to during COVID. When evaluating for sex, women demonstrated a greater increase in PCS (0.57 ± 0.22; P = 0.01) and greater decrease in MCS (1.06 ± 0.38; P < 0.01). With respect to sport type, individual sports demonstrated a greater decrease in MCS (1.46 ± 0.39; P < 0.01), but no interaction was identified for PCS (0.42 ± 0.23; P = 0.07). Collegiate athletes demonstrated a decrease in their self-reported mental QoL during the COVID-19 pandemic, as compared with before the pandemic. This effect was most evident in women and in individual sports. Athletes also reported an increase in physical QoL during COVID that was also larger in women, but not related to sport. This study demonstrates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on collegiate athletes' QoL, including negative effects on mental health. It also identifies cohorts of athletes (women, individual) who may be more significantly affected.

Outcomes of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction With Independently Tensioned Suture Tape Augmentation at 5-Year Follow-up

Background: Reconstruction using autograft remains the gold standard surgical treatment for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries. However, up to 10% to 15% of patients will suffer a graft failure in the future. Cadaveric studies have demonstrated that the addition of suture tape augmentation to ACL autograft constructs can increase graft strength and reduce elongation under cyclical loading. Purpose/Hypothesis: This study aimed to investigate the clinical outcomes and rerupture rates after ACL reconstruction (ACLR) with suture tape augmentation. We hypothesized that augmentation with suture tape would lead to lower rerupture rates. Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: Patients undergoing primary ACLR using hamstring or patellar tendon autografts augmented with suture tape between 2015 and 2019 were recruited prospectively. Patients with multiligament injuries or a concomitant lateral extra-articular procedure were excluded. Patients were observed in person for 6 months, and patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) were collected at 2 and 5 years postoperatively. All patients were contacted, and records were reviewed to determine the incidence of graft failure. PROMs collected were as follows: Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), Veterans RAND 12-Item Health Survey (VR-12), Tegner and Marx activity scores, and visual analog scale for pain (VAS). Results: A total of 97 patients, with a mean age of 34.7 (±13.4) years, were included (76% men; 52 hamstring and 45 patellar tendon grafts). The mean graft diameter was 8 (±1) mm. There was 1 rerupture (1.1%) out of the 90 patients who were contactable at a mean of 5 years postoperatively. Median KOOS scores at 2 years were as follows: Pain, 94; Symptoms, 86; Activities of Daily Living, 99; Sport and Recreation, 82; and Quality of Life, 81. The postoperative scores were significantly higher than the preoperative scores (P < .001). The VR-12 Physical score improved from 43 preoperatively to 55 at 2 years and remained at 56 at 5 years. The VAS pain, Tegner, and Marx scores were 0, 6, and 9, respectively, at 2 years postoperatively. There was no difference in PROMs between graft types. Conclusion: This study demonstrates encouraging results of suture tape augmentation of autograft ACLR for both hamstring and patellar tendon grafts. The failure rate of 1.1% at a mean follow-up of 5 years is lower than published rates for reconstruction, and PROMs results are satisfactory. The technique is safe to use and may permit a return to the preinjury sporting level with a lower chance of reinjury.

Abstract 16014: Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients With Heart Failure is Worse Than in Patients With Cancer: Analysis of the Medicare Health Outcomes Survey 2016-2020

Background: People with heart failure (HF) experience impaired physical and mental health. However, health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in people with HF to those with cancer, another condition that impacts HRQOL, have not been directly compared in a contemporary population. Research Question: How does HRQOL compare in people with HF to those with lung, colon, breast, or prostate cancer? Methods: We performed a pooled analysis of Medicare Health Outcomes Survey data between 2016-2020 in participants ≥65 years with a self-reported history of HF or active treatment for lung, colon, breast, or prostate cancer using two HRQOL measures. The Veterans RAND-12 generates the physical component score (PCS) and mental component score (MCS), which range from 0-100 with a mean score of 50 (based on general US population), a standard deviation of 10, and a lower score representing worse health. We used pairwise t-tests to evaluate for differences in PCS and MCS by group. We used chi-squared to compare the distribution of days with poor physical or mental health in the past 30 days as measured by CDC Healthy Days core questions. Results: Compared to participants with lung, colon, breast, or prostate cancer, participants with HF (n=71,025; 54% female, 16% Black) had lower mean PCS and MCS ( Figure ; P&lt;0.001 for HF vs each cancer). The distribution of unhealthy days differed across disease groups (all P&lt;0.001). Over half (52%) of participants with HF reported ≥10 physically unhealthy days, which is higher than those with lung (51%), colon (41%), breast (31%), or prostate cancer (28%). Nearly one-third (32%) of participants with HF reported ≥10 mentally unhealthy days, which is higher than those with lung (28%), colon (25%), breast (21%), or prostate cancer (20%). Conclusions: People with HF on average experience worse HRQOL than those with cancer. The pervasiveness of low HRQOL in HF underscores the need to implement evidence-based interventions to improve physical and mental health.

Health Status in Heart Failure and Cancer: Analysis of the Medicare Health Outcomes Survey 2016-2020

BackgroundPeople with heart failure (HF) and cancer experience impaired physical and mental health status. However, health-related quality of life (HRQOL) has not been directly compared between these conditions in a contemporary population of older people. ObjectivesThe authors sought to compare HRQOL in people with HF vs those with lung, colorectal, breast, and prostate cancers. MethodsThe authors performed a pooled analysis of Medicare Health Outcomes Survey data from 2016 to 2020 in participants ≥65 years of age with a self-reported history of HF or active treatment for lung, colon, breast, or prostate cancer. They used the Veterans RAND-12 physical component score (PCS) and mental component score (MCS), which range from 0-100 with a mean score of 50 (based on the U.S. general population) and an SD of 10. The authors used pairwise Student’s t-tests to evaluate for differences in PCS and MCS between groups. ResultsAmong participants with HF (n = 71,025; 54% female, 16% Black), mean PCS was 29.5 and mean MCS 47.9. Mean PCS was lower in people with HF compared with lung (31.2; n = 4,165), colorectal (35.6; n = 4,270), breast (37.7; n = 14,542), and prostate (39.6; n = 17,670) cancer (all P < 0.001). Participants with HF had a significantly lower mean MCS than those with lung (31.2), colon (50.0), breast (52.0), and prostate (53.0) cancer (all P < 0.001). ConclusionsPeople with HF experience worse HRQOL than those with cancer actively receiving treatment. The pervasiveness of low HRQOL in HF underscores the need to implement evidence-based interventions that target physical and mental health status and scale multidisciplinary clinics.

Think Before You Ink: Perception, Prevalence, and Correlates of Tattooing and Tattoo Regret in US Adults.

Introduction Few population-based studies have examined the perception and prevalence of tattoos and tattoo regret in the general United States (US) adult population. Our objective was to report the perception of people with tattoos and describe the prevalence, socio-demographics, health-related quality of life, and the extent of tattoo regret in US adults. Methods Data were assessed from a cross-sectional study of US adults. Participants were recruited using a random stratified sampling framework similar to the US Census. Data collected for all participants included socio-demographic and clinical characteristics, general health-related quality of life (Veterans RAND 12-item), depression (Patient Health Questionnaire 9-item), anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item), and perceptions of those with tattoos. Those with tattoos also answered questions about their tattoo(s), including age when first tattooed, reasons for getting a tattoo, and tattoo regret. Categorical data were described by percentages, and continuous data by mean and standard deviation. Proportions were compared with Chi-squared testsand the means with ANOVA. A logistic regression controlling for confounding variables was carried out to assess factors predictive of tattoo regret. Results Of the 3033 participants, 35.3% (1,072) reported having a tattoo. Those more likely to have a tattoo were female (58% vs. 45%), younger (38 vs. 46 years), smoked cigarettes (38% vs. 19% non-smoker), and/or reported analcohol or drug problem (10% vs. 5%). Those without tattoos were more likely to perceive those with tattoos as less attractive, intelligent, professional, and more rebellious. More time (in years) with a tattoo, having a tattoo on the face, neck, hands, wrist, or fingers, getting a tattoo because of peer pressure, being impaired when getting a tattoo, and experiencing an adverse event related to a tattoo were predictive of tattoo regret. Older age and remembrance as the reason for a tattoo were predictive of not having tattoo regret. Conclusion More than one-third of the studysample comprised of adults in the US reported having at least one tattoo. While most people, regardless of their tattoo status, perceived tattooed and non-tattooed individuals equally, tattooed individuals were more likely to be perceived negatively than positively by those without tattoos. Whether tattooed or not, being aware of varying perceptions of tattoo status may be helpful in facilitating positive outcomes.

The Veterans Rand-12 Physical Composite Score Prognosticates Postoperative Clinical Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion

To determine prognostic value of preoperative Veterans RAND 12-Item Health Survey (VR-12) physical composite score (PCS) on outcomes in patients undergoing anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF). ACDF patients with preoperative VR-12 PCS formed 2 cohorts: VR-12 PCS <35 and VR-12 PCS ≥35. The following patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) were gathered preoperatively and postoperatively up to 2 years: VR-12 mental composite score (MCS)/PCS, Neck Disability Index (NDI), Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) PF, 9-Item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), visual analog scale (VAS) neck/arm pain, and 12-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12) PCS/MCS. Comparing PROMs change with established thresholds determined achievement of minimum clinically important difference (MCID). Univariate analysis compared demographics, perioperative characteristics, and preoperative PROMs. Multivariable regression analysis compared postoperative PROMs and MCID achievement. Of 174 patients, 83 had VR-12 PCS <35. Preoperatively, patients with reduced PF displayed lower patient-reported outcome scores in NDI, PHQ-9, and SF-12 MCS (P ≤ 0.008), but not in VAS arm. At 6 weeks postoperatively, these patients continued to score lower in NDI (P ≤ 0.014) and SF-12 PCS (P ≤ 0.001), among others. By the final check, most scores remained lower (P ≤ 0.002) except for PHQ-9 and VAS arm (P > 0.05). Greater improvements at 6 weeks postoperatively were especially noted in patients with lower initial VR-12 PCS for NDI, PROMIS PF, and SF-12 PCS (P < 0.05). However, by final follow-up, only PROMIS PF showed noteworthy improvement (P= 0.19). Regarding MCID achievement, significant differences were largely absent except in NDI, where patients with reduced PF exhibited more MCID achievement (P= 0.016). ACDF patients with VR-12 PCS <35 experienced inferior PF, mental health, and disability postoperatively until final follow-up. There were no significant differences in postoperative improvement magnitude and MCID achievement. Results suggest that baseline VR-12 PCS in ACDF patients may indicate poorer PF, mental health, and disability postoperatively. However, VR-12 PCS does not limit extent of postoperative improvement.

Resilience and Patient-Reported Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Orthopedic Hand Surgery.

Previous studies have examined the impact of resiliency on postoperative outcomes in other orthopedic domains, but none to date have done so for hand surgery. We performed a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data of patients undergoing hand surgery at a single institution. We included patients with complete preoperative outcomes scores and 6-month follow-up. All patients completed the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS), Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) Score, Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (QuickDASH), Veterans RAND 12-Item Health Survey (VR-12), and Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) for pain. Patients were stratified into high-resiliency (HR) and low-resiliency (LR) groups based on the preoperative BRS score, and outcomes between groups were compared. We identified 91 patients who underwent hand procedures and completed full preoperative and postoperative outcomes measures. There were no observed preoperative differences between the groups in all outcomes scores except the VR-12 Mental Component Score. Postoperatively, the HR group had superior DASH, QuickDASH, and VR-12 (mental and physical component) scores than the LR group. Postoperative pain, as measured by the NRS, was significantly lower in the HR group despite there being no preoperative difference. A larger percentage of patients in the HR group met the minimal clinically important difference in all outcomes except for the VR-12 Mental Component Scores. Patients with high preoperative resilience appear to have significantly better clinical outcomes following hand surgery with superior DASH, QuickDASH, and VR-12 scores at 6-month follow-up. Prognostic study/Level IV evidence.

The Use of a Sustained Dynamic Compression Intramedullary Nail for Subtalar Arthrodesis

Category: Hindfoot; Other Introduction/Purpose: Subtalar arthrodesis has traditionally been performed using fixation made of titanium or stainless steel. While these devices can provide initial compression, the compressive loads can be lost soon after surgery as bone settling or resorption occurs at the joint spaces. The DynaNail® Mini is a subtalar arthrodesis intramedullary nail that allows for compression during surgery and has a stretched nitinol element that attempts to contract but is held by talus and calcaneus screws providing sustained dynamic compression across the joint. There is minimal clinical data evaluating the effects of sustained compression devices on isolated subtalar arthrodesis. The goal of this study was to prospectively follow patients undergoing subtalar arthrodesis with the DynaNail® Mini and evaluate its clinical efficacy via fusion rate and patient reported outcomes. Methods: We prospectively enrolled patients aged 18-85 who underwent subtalar arthrodesis with the DynaNail® Mini from one of two academic surgeons. Demographic data and patient reported outcomes were collected preoperatively and at follow-up visits including Visual Analog Pain Scale (VAS), Foot Function Index (FFI), Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM) Sports Subscale, and Veterans Rand 12 (VR-12) physical and mental subscores. Patients were followed at 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years postoperatively. The primary outcome measure was fusion rate via CT scan at 4 months with secondary outcomes consisting of the patient reported outcome data and rate of revisions. Results: 21 patients met inclusion criteria, 14 patients had a 4-month postoperative CT scan to assess for fusion with 78.6% of the CT scans (11 out of 14) demonstrating fusion at that time. 20 of the patients were followed through their 6 month visits, 16 patients through 1 year, and 16 patients were seen for their 2-year follow-up visit. All patient reported outcomes demonstrated improvement from preoperatively to final follow-up with VAS scores improving from 5.69 to 3.84, FFI improving from 56.43 to 37.88, FAAM-sports improving from 20.31 to 30.47, VR-12 Physical improving from 28.70 to 34.41, and VR-12 Mental improving from 43.64 to 49.81. Conclusion: This prospective study demonstrates that patients undergoing subtalar arthrodesis with the DynaNail® Mini demonstrate favorable clinical outcomes that are comparable to existing methods of subtalar arthrodesis with 78.6% of patients achieving fusion on a 4-month postoperative CT scan and with steady noted improvement in multiple validated patient-reported outcome measures.

Prospective Evaluation of Rate of Fusion with Augment Injectable Bone Graft

Category: Hindfoot; Basic Sciences/Biologics Introduction/Purpose: Augment® Bone Graft is a mixture of rhPDGF-BB, beta-TCP and bovine collagen which has received FDA approval for use as a substitute for autografts during hindfoot and/or ankle arthrodesis. Although a recent meta analysis demonstrated that the rhPDGF-BB and beta-TCP mixture has comparable CT fusion rates and radiographic union rates to those of autografts, these studies excluded patients with prior joint site arthrodesis. In our study, we specifically use Augment® Injectable Bone Graft (AIBG) which has only very recently received labeling change approval. The goals of our study are to assess fusions rates in patients who receive AIBG during hindfoot and/or ankle arthrodesis, and then subsequently compare fusion rates between primary vs. revision hindfoot and/or ankle arthrodesis as primary outcomes. Methods: We prospectively enrolled patients aged 18-85 who underwent subtalar, calcaneocuboid, talonavicular, and/or ankle arthrodesis from one of two academic surgeons including both primary and revisions fusions. The patients received AIBG and were excluded if any other graft material was used. Demographic data and patient reported outcomes were collected preoperatively and at follow-up visits including Visual Analog Pain Scale (VAS), Foot Function Index (FFI), Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM) Sports Subscale, and Veterans Rand 12 (VR-12) physical and mental subscores. Patients were followed at 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years postoperatively. The primary outcome measure was fusion rate via CT scan at 4 months with secondary outcomes consisting of the patient reported outcome data and rate of revisions. Results: 62 patients met inclusion criteria, 50 patients had a 4-month postoperative CT scan to assess for fusion with 78% of the CT scans (39 out of 50) demonstrating fusion at that time. There were only 3 revision fusion patients, with 1 of the 3 failing to fuse. 54 of the patients were followed through their 6 month visits, 44 patients through 1 year, and 24 patients were seen for their 2-year follow-up visit. All patient reported outcomes demonstrated improvement from preoperatively to final follow-up with VAS scores improving from 5.52 to 3.21, FFI improving from 57.87 to 35.64, FAAM-sports improving from 18.65 to 29.30, VR-12 Physical improving from 28.67 to 35.18, and VR-12 Mental improving from 44.27 to 47.74. Conclusion: This prospective study demonstrates that Augment® Injectable Bone Graft is an acceptable alternative to allograft for either primary or revision hindfoot arthrodesis procedures with 78% of patients achieving fusion on a 4-month postoperative CT scan and with steady noted improvement in multiple validated patient-reported outcome measures.

Patient-Reported Outcomes of Surgically Treated Lisfranc Injuries with Isolated Longitudinal Instability

Category: Midfoot/Forefoot; Other Introduction/Purpose: A longitudinal Lisfranc variant injury occurs from a longitudinal force on the midfoot directed through the first ray and medial cuneiform. This is unique in that other Lisfranc injury patterns typically result from an axial-directed force or a rotational force that externally rotates the midfoot. More common Lisfranc injury patterns can have instability longitudinally, but usually it is accompanied by coronal instability and even axial instability. To date, there has been no study with a cohort of Lisfranc injuries with isolated longitudinal instability. The purpose of this study was to report patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) for those undergoing surgical treatment for longitudinal Lisfranc injuries. Methods: Retrospective chart review was completed to identify patients with surgically treated longitudinal Lisfranc injuries by a single surgeon between April 2018 and February 2022. Intraoperative fluoroscopy was used to confirm Lisfranc injuries positive for only longitudinal instability and negative for coronal and axial instability. Surgical technique consisted of open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) with a compression screw from the medial to middle cuneiform and a “homerun” compression screw from the medial cuneiform to the base of the second metatarsal. PROMs, collected preoperatively and postoperatively, included the Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM), Veterans RAND 12-Item Health Survey (VR-12), and visual analog scale (VAS) pain scale. Patient satisfaction was assessed through a survey consisting of a 0-100 rating scale with “least satisfied” being 0 and “most satisfied” being 100. Statistical analyses to determine significance were completed through sample t-tests assuming unequal variance with significance set at P&lt;.05. Results: Fourteen patients (14 feet) with an average age of 25.2±15.7 years sustained longitudinal Lisfranc injuries. Eleven of 14 patients competed in competitive sports when injured with football (n=5) being the most prevalent sport. Eleven patients underwent hardware removal an average of 3.6 months following their primary surgery. There were three cases of broken hardware, and one revision in which ORIF was converted to fusion. The average latest follow-up time for PROMs were 25.9 (range, 12-44) months. Results demonstrate a significant improvement in FAAM Total, FAAM ADL, and FAAM Sports scores at latest follow-up (Figure 1). There was also improvement in VR-12 Mental, VR-12 Physical, and VAS scores, though not statistically significant. Mean patient satisfaction at latest follow-up was 99/100. Conclusion: This study is the first to present data from a cohort of isolated longitudinal Lisfranc injuries. There is significant debate about surgical management of Lisfranc injuries. The improvement in PROMs at latest follow-up and high patient satisfaction suggests that ORIF may be an optimal surgical approach for management of longitudinal Lisfranc injuries.

Comparison of Acute vs Chronic Lisfranc Injury Patient-Reported Outcomes in Surgically Treated Patients

Category: Midfoot/Forefoot; Other Introduction/Purpose: Lisfranc injury presentations can vary from a mild sports-related midfoot sprain to severe midfoot deformity caused by a motor vehicle accident. Despite this, Lisfranc injuries are not highly prevalent. Lisfranc injuries are often difficult to diagnose, making it possible that the prevalence of these injuries is underreported. It is widely accepted that surgery to correct a Lisfranc injury should be performed as soon as possible since chronic injuries are associated with higher rates of midfoot degenerative changes. Chronic Lisfranc injuries are more commonly treated with primary arthrodesis (PA) “salvage” procedures rather than open reduction internal fixations (ORIF). The purpose of this study was to compare the patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) after surgery for patients with acute Lisfranc injuries to patients with chronic Lisfranc injuries. Methods: Retrospective chart review was completed to identify patients with surgically treated Lisfranc injuries by a single surgeon between May 2012 and February 2022. Acute versus chronic injury distinction was based on the amount of time between the date of injury and the date of surgery with the cutoff set at six weeks. Ambiguous injury timelines determined through clinical and surgical documentation were excluded. The acute and chronic cohorts were age-gender matched. PROMs, collected preoperatively and postoperatively, included the Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM), Veterans RAND 12-Item Health Survey (VR-12), and visual analog scale (VAS) pain scale. Patient satisfaction was assessed through a survey consisting of a 0-100 rating scale with “least satisfied” being 0 and “most satisfied” being 100. Latest follow-up PROMs &lt; 12 months were excluded from analysis. Statistical analyses to determine significance were completed through sample t-tests assuming unequal variance with significance set at P&lt;.05. Results: Acute and chronic injury cohorts consisted of 42 patients (42 feet) each, and the average age of both cohorts were 36.58±16.89 years and 36.70±16.65 years, respectively. In the acute cohort, 24 ORIFs and 18 PAs were performed compared to 16 ORIFs and 26 PAs in the chronic cohort. The average latest follow-up time for PROMs for acute and chronic cohorts were 36.02 (range, 12-78) months and 27.72 (range, 12-48) months, respectively. The acute cohort demonstrated significantly lower FAAM scores preoperatively, but no significant preoperative VAS differences were found. Both acute and chronic cohorts individually had significant improvement in the FAAM from preoperative to latest follow-up, but there were no significant differences found between the PROMs at latest follow-up of both cohorts (Table 1). Conclusion: This study directly comparing acute versus chronic Lisfranc injury PROMs after surgery is the first of its kind. The results concluded there were no significant differences found between the latest follow-up PROMs. These findings are despite a higher proportion of PAs to ORIFs in the chronic cohort, which some published studies have concluded to be the superior surgical technique. This study supports the notion to treat surgically indicated Lisfranc injuries acutely.

Increased patient resilience scores are related to positive postoperative outcomes in rotator cuff repairs

We sought to determine whether patients' preoperative resilience scores predict postoperative outcomes in arthroscopic rotator cuff repair surgery. Patients were prospectively enrolled and underwent data collection preoperatively and at 3, 6, 12, and 24 months postoperatively. Data collected included demographic characteristics and the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS) score, visual analog scale score, Veterans RAND 12-Item Health Survey scores (mental component [VR-12M] and physical component [VR-12P]), American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons Standardized Shoulder Assessment Form score, Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation score, and Simple Shoulder Test (SST) score. In total, 131 patients had complete 1- or 2-year postoperative outcome measures. Female patients comprised 56.5% of our sample, and the average age was 57.6 years. Between the low, normal, and high resilience groups, there were significant differences in the VR-12M scores at 0, 12, and 24 months postoperatively (P<.01 for all). The VR-12P scores at 12 months were 44.2, 47.4, and 49.8 in the low, normal, and high resilience groups, respectively, showing a trend upward, but this failed to reach the level of significance (P=.08). The SST scores of the low, normal, and high resilience groups at 12 months were 69.1, 79.9, and 85.1, respectively, again showing a trend upward, but this failed to reach the level of significance (P=.07). The SST scores at 0 and 24 months did not differ between groups. There were no significant differences in American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons, visual analog scale, and Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation scores at 0, 12, or 24 months postoperatively. We found a significant positive correlation between the BRS score and SST score at 12 months (R=0.18), VR-12M score at 12 months (R=0.38), VR-12M score at 24 months (R=0.31), and VR-12P score at 12 months (R=0.21). Our study provides evidence that BRS scores in patients undergoing arthroscopic rotator cuff repair are related to postoperative outcomes, measured through the VR-12M and SST scores at 2-year follow-up.

Return-to-sport following Operative Management of Lisfranc Injuries in Competitive Athletes

Category: Sports; Midfoot/Forefoot Introduction/Purpose: The relative incidence of Lisfranc injuries amongst competitive athletes is higher than the incidence in the general population. Lisfranc injuries can be particularly devastating to competitive athletes. They can dramatically hinder athletic performance, cause severe midfoot pain, and are difficult to diagnose. It is well documented that many Lisfranc injuries are initially misdiagnosed. To date, there is limited literature surrounding return-to-sport timelines and outcomes following operatively managed Lisfranc injuries in competitive athletes. The purpose of this study is to present an average return-to-sport timeline and patient-reported outcomes of surgically treated Lisfranc injuries in competitive athletes. Methods: Patients with surgically treated Lisfranc injuries by a single surgeon between May 2012 and February 2022 were identified through retrospective chart review. Competitive athletes and their levels of athletic competition were identified through clinical and surgical documentation. Patients with surgically treated Lisfranc injuries that were not active competitive athletes at the time of injury were excluded. Data from a novel Lisfranc return-to-sport survey was prospectively collected. Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) analyzed included the visual analog scale (VAS) pain scale, Veterans RAND 12-Item Health Survey (VR-12), and the Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM). PROMs with latest follow-up less than 12 months from the date of surgery were excluded from analysis. The differences between mean preoperative and mean latest follow-up outcome measures were analyzed using simple t tests with significance set at P&lt;.05. Results: Forty-six competitive athletes were surgically treated for Lisfranc injuries. All PROMs demonstrated statistically significant improvement upon latest follow-up except for the VR-12 Mental (Table 1). Nine patients (9/46) were lost to follow-up. Thirty- two patients (86.5%, 32/37) completed the Lisfranc return-to-sport survey at a mean follow-up time of 52.17 (range, 7.33-125.26) months after surgery. Twenty-eight patients (28/32) desired to return to play, and four did not (4/32). Twenty-seven patients (96.4%, 27/28) successfully returned to sport after an average of 5.5 (range, 3-12) months. Twenty-two patients (22/28) eventually returned to pre-injury levels of play, and six (6/28) did not. Average pain levels when returning to play were 26.2/100. Twenty- three patients (23/28) were eventually able to play pain free. Overall average patient satisfaction level was 95.6/100. Conclusion: This study is one of the largest known cohorts (n=46) of competitive athletes with operatively managed Lisfranc injuries to have return-to-sport time and PROMs analyzed. Overall, the return-to-sport rate, PROMs, and patient satisfaction levels were excellent for this cohort. Of the athletes who desired to return-to-sport, the return-to-sport rate was 96.4% with a mean return-to-sport time of 5.5 (range, 3-12) months after surgery. All PROMs (VAS, VR-12 Physical, FAAM) except for the VR- 12 Mental demonstrated statistically significant improvement at latest follow-up.

Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health-Related Quality of Life for Patients with Colorectal Cancer: Analysis of the SEER-MHOS Linked Data Set

We hypothesized that racial and ethnic disparities exist in health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among older adults with colorectal cancer, both before and after diagnosis. The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results and Medicare Health Outcomes Survey (SEER-MHOS) linked data set was used to identify patients 65 years old and above who were diagnosed with colorectal cancer between 1996 and 2015. Self-reported race/ethnicity, the predictor of interest, was categorized as White (W), Asian/Pacific Islander (API), Black/African American (B), or Hispanic (H). HRQOL data from the 36-Item Short Form Survey and Veterans RAND 12-Item Health Survey were extracted within 24 months pre- and post-diagnosis. HRQOL was measured using the Physical Component Summary (PCS), Mental Component Summary (MCS), and Total Component Summary (TCS, a summation of PCS and MCS), which were the response variables. Associations were assessed via univariable (UVA) and multivariable (MVA) linear regression analysis, adjusting for age, sex, region, marital status, education, income, number of comorbidities, limitations in activities of daily living, stage, and histology. Pairwise comparisons were performed between all racial and ethnic groups. We identified a total of 1,204 evaluable patients, with 815 in the pre-diagnosis cohort and 562 in the post-diagnosis cohort, including 173 patients in both. With unadjusted p-values, pre-diagnosis UVA revealed a higher mean PCS in API patients compared to W, B, and H patients (p<0.001, p<0.001, p = 0.02) as well as in W compared to H patients (p = 0.002); a higher mean MCS in W and API patients compared to B (p<0.001, p = 0.002) and H patients (p<0.001, p = 0.002); and a higher mean TCS in API compared to W, B, and H patients (p = 0.027, p<0.001, p<0.001) as well as in W compared to B and H patients (p<0.001, p = 0.012). Pre-diagnosis MVA revealed a higher mean PCS in API compared to B patients (p = 0.028) and a higher mean MCS in W and B compared to H patients (p = 0.022, p = 0.021). Post-diagnosis UVA showed a higher mean MCS in W compared to B and H patients (p<0.001 for both) as well as in API compared to H patients (p = 0.002), and a higher mean TCS in W and API patients compared to B (p<0.001, p = 0.045) and H patients (p<0.001, p = 0.007). Post-diagnosis MVA showed a higher mean MCS in API compared to H patients (p = 0.035). Compared to pre-diagnosis, post-diagnosis mean TCS was numerically lower for all groups. Among older adults with colorectal cancer, there appear to be racial and ethnic disparities in HRQOL. Before the cancer diagnosis, API patients had better physical HRQOL than B patients, while W and B patients had better mental HRQOL than H patients. After diagnosis, API patients had better mental HRQOL than H patients. For all groups, the cancer diagnosis seemed to have a negative impact on overall HRQOL.

Trends in Racial and Ethnicity Disparities in the Health-Related Quality of Life in Older Adults with Breast Cancer: A SEER-MHOS National Database Study

To examine racial and ethnic disparities in Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) in older adults with breast cancer, both pre- and post-diagnosis. Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results-Medicare Health Outcomes Survey (SEER-MHOS) database, we included patients > 65 years old with breast cancer diagnosed from 1998-2019, who had completed the Health Outcomes Survey within 24 months pre- and post-diagnosis, and who had a reported ethnicity of non-Hispanic White (W), non-Hispanic Asian or Pacific Islander (API), non-Hispanic Black or African American (B), or Hispanic (H). HRQOL data was measured by the Physical Component Summary (PCS) and Mental Component Summary (MCS) scores from the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 and the Veterans RAND 12-Item Health Survey instruments. Univariable (UVA) and multivariable (MVA) linear regression models were fitted for MCS, PCS, and TCS (composite MCS and PCS) as response variables to assess for potential disparities between races and ethnicities. MVA models were adjusted for sex, age, marital status, education, income, number of comorbidities, limitations in activities of daily living, national region, histology, and treatment type (in post-diagnosis cohort only). We identified 1,008 in the pre-diagnosis cohort (56.6% stage I, 29.8% stage II, 9.3% stage III, and 4.3% stage IV) and 991 patients in the post-diagnosis cohort (58.3% stage I, 28.6% stage II, 9.3% stage III, 3.8% stage IV). On UVA, differences in mean scores of TCS, PCS, and MCS, respectively, were found among W, API, B, and H patients in both pre-diagnosis and post-diagnosis cohorts (pre-diagnosis - TCS: 93.4, 93.0, 87.0, 86.3; PCS: 40.3, 40.0, 37.0, 37.5; MCS: 53.1, 52.9, 50.0, 48.7; post-diagnosis - TCS: 90.8, 90.3, 84.3, 83.5; PCS: 38.5, 39.2, 36.8, 34.5; MCS: 52.3, 51.1, 49.8, 46.8; all p < .001). A drop in PCS, MCS, and TCS scores numerically was observed for all groups. Among patients in the pre-diagnosis cohort who would be diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer, race was found to be a predictor of PCS with overall significance (p = 0.04) within MVA linear regression. Specifically, on the local test, compared to B, W had higher pre-diagnosis PCS scores (+13.32, p = 0.03). Race was not found to be a predictor in PCS, MCS, or TCS scores otherwise. Among older patients who would be diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer, W had better physical HRQOL as compared to B patients' pre-diagnosis. The decrease in numerical HRQOL scores of the physical domain in all groups post-diagnosis highlights the potential negative physical impact breast cancer has on patients, demonstrating the need for determining the proper resources and support to improve physical HRQOL following diagnosis.

Greater Socioeconomic Disadvantage as Measured by the Area Deprivation Index Is Associated With Failure of Healing Following Arthroscopic Repair of Massive Rotator Cuff Tears but Not With Clinical Outcomes

To analyze the relationship between Area Deprivation Index (ADI) and preoperative status and short-term postoperative clinical outcomes among patients who underwent arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR) of massive rotator cuff tears (MRCTs). A retrospective review was conducted on prospectively maintained data on patients who underwent ARCR of MRCTs defined as tear size ≥5 cm or complete tear of at least 2 tendons, with a minimum 2-year follow-up and a valid home address between January 2015 and December 2018. Each patient's home address was mapped to the ADI to determine neighborhood disadvantage. This composite index is composed of 17 census-based indicators, including income, education, employment, and housing quality to quantify the level of socioeconomic deprivation. Ratings were recorded and categorized based on the sample's percentile. Patients were then divided into 2 groups: upper quartile (ie, most disadvantaged [≥75th percentile]) and lower 3 quartiles (ie, least disadvantaged [<75th percentile]). Bivariate analysis was performed to associate ADI with patient-reported outcomes (PROs) and range of motion pre- and postoperatively, as well as complications, healing rate, satisfaction, and return to work. Patients reaching or exceeding the minimal clinically important difference for visual analog scale (VAS), American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons, Veterans Rand 12-Item questionnaire, and subjective shoulder value were recorded for both cohorts. Ninety-nine patients were eligible for study analysis. Preoperative PROs and range of motion were similar, except for a greater VAS for pain (6.3 vs 4.3; P < .01) and lower American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score (32.2 vs 45.1; P= .01) in the most disadvantaged group. Both groups showed similar postoperative PROs scores, but greater VAS improvement was seen in the upper quartile group (Δ 4.2 vs Δ 3.0; P= .04). In contrast, only the least-disadvantaged group significantly improved in internal rotation (P= .01) and forward flexion (18°; P < .01) from baseline. Although satisfaction, complications, and return to work were comparable (P > .05), failure of healing occurred more frequently in the most disadvantaged group (21% vs 6%; P= .03). Patients with MRCTs residing in the most disadvantaged neighborhoods as measured by the ADI have more pain and functional limitations before undergoing ARCR but demonstrate similar postoperative functional improvements to patients from other socioeconomic backgrounds. Failure of healing of MRCTs may be more common in disadvantaged groups. Furthermore, both groups reported similar rates of clinically important functional improvement. Level III, retrospective cohort comparison.