Patients with Adult Spinal Deformity with Previous Fusions Have an Equal Chance of Reaching Substantial Clinical Benefit Thresholds in Health-Related Quality of Life Measures but Do Not Reach the Same Absolute Level of Improvement
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2018-05
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© 2018 Elsevier Inc. Background: Substantial clinical benefit (SCB) represents a threshold above which patients recognize substantial improvement and represents a rational target for defining clinical success. In adult spinal deformity (ASD) surgery, previous fusions may impact outcomes after deformity correction. Objective: To investigate the impact of previous spinal fusion on the likelihood of reaching SCB thresholds for 2-year health-related quality of life (HRQOL) after ASD surgery. Methods: We conducted a retrospective review comparing baseline demographic, HRQOL, and radiographic features for patients with ASD undergoing primary versus revision procedures. The primary outcome measure was reaching SCB threshold in Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), SF-36 Physical Component Summary (PCS), and back and leg pain (numeric rating scale). Secondary outcomes included absolute and change scores in ODI, PCS, and back and leg pain. Results: In total, 332 patients achieved 2-year follow-up (228 primary; 104 revision cases). Those undergoing revision surgery had similar demographic features (age 58.3/55.9, female 80.8%/82.9%) to patients undergoing primary surgery. They had worse baseline HRQOL (ODI 48.5/41.2, PCS 29.5/33.4, back 7.5/7.0, and leg pain 4.9/4.3; P < 0.001) and radiographic deformity (sagittal vertical axis 111.4/45.1, lumbopelvic mismatch 26.7/11.0, pelvic tilt 29.5/21.0; P < 0.0001). Nevertheless, the number of patients who reached SCB for ODI (38.3/36.3%), PCS (48.5/53.4%), back (53.1/60.5%), and leg pain numeric rating scale (28.6/36.9%) did not significantly differ. Revision patients had worse 2-year HRQOL for all measures. Conclusions: Patients undergoing revision surgery have worse baseline HRQOL and deformity. Although they do not achieve the same absolute level of 2-year HRQOL outcome, they have a similar likelihood of reaching SCB threshold for improvement in 2-year HRQOL.
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Ailon, Tamir, Justin S Smith, Christopher I Shaffrey, Alex Soroceanu, Virginie Lafage, Frank Schwab, Douglas Burton, Robert Hart, et al. (2018). Patients with Adult Spinal Deformity with Previous Fusions Have an Equal Chance of Reaching Substantial Clinical Benefit Thresholds in Health-Related Quality of Life Measures but Do Not Reach the Same Absolute Level of Improvement. World Neurosurgery, 116. pp. e354–e361. 10.1016/j.wneu.2018.04.204 Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10161/17581.
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Christopher Ignatius Shaffrey
I have more than 25 years of experience treating patients of all ages with spinal disorders. I have had an interest in the management of spinal disorders since starting my medical education. I performed residencies in both orthopaedic surgery and neurosurgery to gain a comprehensive understanding of the entire range of spinal disorders. My goal has been to find innovative ways to manage the range of spinal conditions, straightforward to complex. I have a focus on managing patients with complex spinal disorders. My patient evaluation and management philosophy is to provide engaged, compassionate care that focuses on providing the simplest and least aggressive treatment option for a particular condition. In many cases, non-operative treatment options exist to improve a patient’s symptoms. I have been actively engaged in clinical research to find the best ways to manage spinal disorders in order to achieve better results with fewer complications.
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