Patient-reported outcomes after posterior surgical stabilization for thoracolumbar junction fractures: A pilot study with combined patient-reported outcome measure methodology

Background: Thoracolumbar junction fractures (TLJFs) attract controversy for several parameters, including surgery versus conservative treatment, fusion versus stabilization, open versus percutaneous surgery, construct length, and downstream metalwork extraction. Aims and Objectives: The aim of th...

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Main Authors: Andreas K Demetriades, Sirajam Munira Chowdhury, Georgios Mavrovounis
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2023-01-01
Series:Journal of Craniovertebral Junction and Spine
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.jcvjs.com/article.asp?issn=0974-8237;year=2023;volume=14;issue=2;spage=149;epage=158;aulast=Demetriades
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author Andreas K Demetriades
Sirajam Munira Chowdhury
Georgios Mavrovounis
author_facet Andreas K Demetriades
Sirajam Munira Chowdhury
Georgios Mavrovounis
author_sort Andreas K Demetriades
collection DOAJ
description Background: Thoracolumbar junction fractures (TLJFs) attract controversy for several parameters, including surgery versus conservative treatment, fusion versus stabilization, open versus percutaneous surgery, construct length, and downstream metalwork extraction. Aims and Objectives: The aim of this pilot study was to assess the effectiveness of surgical treatment in patients with burst (AO Classification Type A4) TLJFs using patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) and evaluate and compare different PROMs in this clinical scenario. Materials and Methods: Patient records of consecutive patients who underwent posterior stabilization surgery for TLJFs were retrospectively reviewed. Data were collected on demographics, medical and social history, neurological examination, and postoperative complications. Telephone interviews and a combined PROM methodology (Numerical Rating Scale [NRS], EuroQol [EQ]-5D-5L, and Oswestry Disability Index [ODI]) were utilized to assess the effectiveness of intervention. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze exposure variables and outcome measures. Spearman's rank correlation was used for the outcome measures. Results: Thirteen patients were included. The mean age was 42 ± 16 years; the male: female ratio was 8:5; the mean follow-up was 18.9 ± 6.4 months. The mean NRS score was 3.3 ± 2.5, in line with a median score of 2 (2) on EQ-5D-5L pain/discomfort scale. Statistically significant correlations were found between several PROMs: pain-EQ-5D-5L and NRS (rs = 0.8, P = 0.002), pain-EQ-5D-5L and ODI (rs = 0.8, P = 0.001), usual anxiety/depression-EQ-5D-5L, and ODI (rs = 0.7, P = 0.008). Conclusion: A combined PROM methodology showed supportive evidence for safety and efficacy in the surgical stabilization of burst TLJFs. This alleviated significant pain and prevented neurological deficit and major disability. The preliminary widespread correlation between these PROMs supports further larger studies of their combined use in clinical practice, to measure the outcomes of spine trauma patients.
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spelling doaj.art-f1de2133c7b64d839a56d64611af23ae2023-07-23T11:24:02ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsJournal of Craniovertebral Junction and Spine0974-82372023-01-0114214915810.4103/jcvjs.jcvjs_38_23Patient-reported outcomes after posterior surgical stabilization for thoracolumbar junction fractures: A pilot study with combined patient-reported outcome measure methodologyAndreas K DemetriadesSirajam Munira ChowdhuryGeorgios MavrovounisBackground: Thoracolumbar junction fractures (TLJFs) attract controversy for several parameters, including surgery versus conservative treatment, fusion versus stabilization, open versus percutaneous surgery, construct length, and downstream metalwork extraction. Aims and Objectives: The aim of this pilot study was to assess the effectiveness of surgical treatment in patients with burst (AO Classification Type A4) TLJFs using patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) and evaluate and compare different PROMs in this clinical scenario. Materials and Methods: Patient records of consecutive patients who underwent posterior stabilization surgery for TLJFs were retrospectively reviewed. Data were collected on demographics, medical and social history, neurological examination, and postoperative complications. Telephone interviews and a combined PROM methodology (Numerical Rating Scale [NRS], EuroQol [EQ]-5D-5L, and Oswestry Disability Index [ODI]) were utilized to assess the effectiveness of intervention. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze exposure variables and outcome measures. Spearman's rank correlation was used for the outcome measures. Results: Thirteen patients were included. The mean age was 42 ± 16 years; the male: female ratio was 8:5; the mean follow-up was 18.9 ± 6.4 months. The mean NRS score was 3.3 ± 2.5, in line with a median score of 2 (2) on EQ-5D-5L pain/discomfort scale. Statistically significant correlations were found between several PROMs: pain-EQ-5D-5L and NRS (rs = 0.8, P = 0.002), pain-EQ-5D-5L and ODI (rs = 0.8, P = 0.001), usual anxiety/depression-EQ-5D-5L, and ODI (rs = 0.7, P = 0.008). Conclusion: A combined PROM methodology showed supportive evidence for safety and efficacy in the surgical stabilization of burst TLJFs. This alleviated significant pain and prevented neurological deficit and major disability. The preliminary widespread correlation between these PROMs supports further larger studies of their combined use in clinical practice, to measure the outcomes of spine trauma patients.http://www.jcvjs.com/article.asp?issn=0974-8237;year=2023;volume=14;issue=2;spage=149;epage=158;aulast=Demetriadescombined patient-reported outcome measure methodologypatient-reported outcome measuresspine fracturesthoracolumbar junction fracturesvisual analog scale
spellingShingle Andreas K Demetriades
Sirajam Munira Chowdhury
Georgios Mavrovounis
Patient-reported outcomes after posterior surgical stabilization for thoracolumbar junction fractures: A pilot study with combined patient-reported outcome measure methodology
Journal of Craniovertebral Junction and Spine
combined patient-reported outcome measure methodology
patient-reported outcome measures
spine fractures
thoracolumbar junction fractures
visual analog scale
title Patient-reported outcomes after posterior surgical stabilization for thoracolumbar junction fractures: A pilot study with combined patient-reported outcome measure methodology
title_full Patient-reported outcomes after posterior surgical stabilization for thoracolumbar junction fractures: A pilot study with combined patient-reported outcome measure methodology
title_fullStr Patient-reported outcomes after posterior surgical stabilization for thoracolumbar junction fractures: A pilot study with combined patient-reported outcome measure methodology
title_full_unstemmed Patient-reported outcomes after posterior surgical stabilization for thoracolumbar junction fractures: A pilot study with combined patient-reported outcome measure methodology
title_short Patient-reported outcomes after posterior surgical stabilization for thoracolumbar junction fractures: A pilot study with combined patient-reported outcome measure methodology
title_sort patient reported outcomes after posterior surgical stabilization for thoracolumbar junction fractures a pilot study with combined patient reported outcome measure methodology
topic combined patient-reported outcome measure methodology
patient-reported outcome measures
spine fractures
thoracolumbar junction fractures
visual analog scale
url http://www.jcvjs.com/article.asp?issn=0974-8237;year=2023;volume=14;issue=2;spage=149;epage=158;aulast=Demetriades
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AT georgiosmavrovounis patientreportedoutcomesafterposteriorsurgicalstabilizationforthoracolumbarjunctionfracturesapilotstudywithcombinedpatientreportedoutcomemeasuremethodology