Health-related quality of life in patients with anterior cruciate ligament insufficiency undergoing arthroscopic reconstruction: a practice-based Italian normative group in comorbid-free patients

Development and validation of the ankle fracture outcome of rehabilitation measure (A-FORM)

STUDY DESIGN

Delphi panel and cohort study.

OBJECTIVE

To develop and refine a condition-specific, patient-reported outcome measure, the Ankle Fracture Outcome of Rehabilitation Measure (A-FORM), and to examine its psychometric properties, including factor structure, reliability, and validity, by assessing item fit with the Rasch model.

BACKGROUND

To our knowledge, there is no patient-reported outcome measure specific to ankle fracture with a robust content foundation.

METHODS

A 2-stage research design was implemented. First, a Delphi panel that included patients and health professionals developed the items and refined the item wording. Second, a cohort study (n = 45) with 2 assessment points was conducted to permit preliminary maximum-likelihood exploratory factor analysis and Rasch analysis.

RESULTS

The Delphi panel reached consensus on 53 potential items that were carried forward to the cohort phase. From the 2 time points, 81 questionnaires were completed and analyzed; 38 potential items were eliminated on account of greater than 10% missing data, factor loadings, and uniqueness. The 15 unidimensional items retained in the scale demonstrated appropriate person and item reliability after (and before) removal of 1 item (anxious about footwear) that had a higher-than-ideal outfit statistic (1.75). The "anxious about footwear" item was retained in the instrument, but only the 14 items with acceptable infit and outfit statistics (range, 0.5-1.5) were included in the summary score.

CONCLUSION

This investigation developed and refined the A-FORM (Version 1.0). The A-FORM items demonstrated favorable psychometric properties and are suitable for conversion to a single summary score. Further studies utilizing the A-FORM instrument are warranted. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2014;44(7):488-499. Epub 22 May 2014. doi:10.2519/jospt.2014.4980.

Changes in Health-Related Quality of Life and Knee Function After Knee Injury in Young Female Athletes

Background:

Recent literature has called for greater attention to evidence-based practice in sports medicine with the documentation of overall status and impairments following injury. The prospective documentation of impairments associated with knee injuries in female athletes regarding their health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and knee function (KF) of high school and collegiate athletes is limited. Assessing the effect knee injuries have on young female athletes may allow clinicians to better understand the perspectives of the athletes who sustain these injuries.

Purpose:

To document the changes over 12 months in self-reported HRQoL and KF in young females who have sustained a knee injury.

Study Design:

Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods:

A convenience sample of 242 females (mean age, 17.4 ± 2.4 years) who injured their knee participating in sport or recreational activities was utilized. Injuries were categorized as anterior cruciate ligament tears (ACL), anterior knee pain (AKP), patellar instability (PAT), meniscus tear (MNT), iliotibial band syndrome (ITB), collateral ligament sprain (COL), and other (OTH). HRQoL was assessed with the Short Form–12 v 2.0 survey (SF-12) physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS). KF was assessed with the 2000 International Knee Documentation Committee survey (IKDC). Dependent variables included the paired differences in the 2000 IKDC as well as SF-12 composite scores from preinjury through 12 months postdiagnosis. Paired differences were assessed with repeated-measures analyses of variance (P ≤ .05).

Results:

IKDC scores were lower through 12 months for ACL, AKP, and PAT; through 6 months for MNT; and through 3 months for COL and OTH. HRQoL PCS and MCS scores were lower through 3 to 12 months depending on the type of injury classification.

Conclusion:

Knee injuries can negatively affect KF and HRQoL for up to 12 months in young females. Sports medicine providers need to be aware of these impacts as they work to effectively treat individuals with these injuries.

A review of anterior cruciate ligament injuries and reconstructive techniques. Part 2: Treatment

The aims of treatment of anterior cruciate ligament rupture are to eliminate pain, restore stability and allow early return to activity while preventing early degeneration. Ruptures can be treated conservatively, which requires careful patient selection and avoidance of high-risk activity. Each patient must be treated on an individual basis with consideration given to the level of activity, desire to return to sport, donor site morbidity and compliance with post-operative regimes. Through the evolution of single incision, arthroscopic anatomic reconstruction, our knowledge of the native anterior cruciate ligament anatomy and knee kinematics has progressed. The current gold standard uses four-stranded hamstring autograft with endobutton and interference screw fixation. Double-bundle reconstruction is technically challenging with greater risk and best reserved for larger knees with larger native ligaments. Although treatment has advanced considerably over the years, there are still a number of contentious issues which are considered in this review. Part two of this review discusses the short- and long-term objectives of surgery, the indications and timing of surgery, different graft materials, tunnel positions and rehabilitation programmes. We also evaluate the role of anatomical reconstruction and single- versus double-bundle anterior cruciate ligament reconstructions.

Life impact of ankle fractures: qualitative analysis of patient and clinician experiences

BACKGROUND

Ankle fractures are one of the more commonly occurring forms of trauma managed by orthopaedic teams worldwide. The impacts of these injuries are not restricted to pain and disability caused at the time of the incident, but may also result in long term physical, psychological, and social consequences. There are currently no ankle fracture specific patient-reported outcome measures with a robust content foundation. This investigation aimed to develop a thematic conceptual framework of life impacts following ankle fracture from the experiences of people who have suffered ankle fractures as well as the health professionals who treat them.

METHODS

A qualitative investigation was undertaken using in-depth semi-structured interviews with people (n=12) who had previously sustained an ankle fracture (patients) and health professionals (n=6) that treat people with ankle fractures. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed. Each phrase was individually coded and grouped in categories and aligned under emerging themes by two independent researchers.

RESULTS

Saturation occurred after 10 in-depth patient interviews. Time since injury for patients ranged from 6 weeks to more than 2 years. Experience of health professionals ranged from 1 year to 16 years working with people with ankle fractures. Health professionals included an Orthopaedic surgeon (1), physiotherapists (3), a podiatrist (1) and an occupational therapist (1). The emerging framework derived from patient data included eight themes (Physical, Psychological, Daily Living, Social, Occupational and Domestic, Financial, Aesthetic and Medication Taking). Health professional responses did not reveal any additional themes, but tended to focus on physical and occupational themes.

CONCLUSIONS

The nature of life impact following ankle fractures can extend beyond short term pain and discomfort into many areas of life. The findings from this research have provided an empirically derived framework from which a condition-specific patient-reported outcome measure can be developed.

Changes in self-reported knee function and health-related quality of life after knee injury in female athletes

OBJECTIVE

To document the changes in self-reported health-related quality of life and knee function in a cohort of young female athletes who have sustained a knee injury.

DESIGN

Prospective cohort.

SETTING

An outpatient sports medicine clinic and university student health service.

PARTICIPANTS

A convenience sample of 255 females (age = 17.4 ± 2.4 years) who injured their knee participating in sport or recreational activities. Injuries were categorized as anterior cruciate ligament tears, anterior knee pain, patellar instability, meniscus tear, collateral ligament sprain, and other.

INTERVENTIONS

Knee function was assessed with the 2000 International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) knee survey. Health-related quality of life was assessed with the SF-12 version 2.0 (acute) survey (SF-12).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Dependent variables included the paired differences in the 2000 IKDC and SF-12 subscales, and composite scores from preinjury to diagnosis. Paired differences were assessed with paired t tests (P < 0.05) reported as the mean ± SD.

RESULTS

International Knee Documentation Committee scores at diagnosis were significantly lower than preinjury scores (P < 0.001). SF-12 scores were lower (P < 0.001) at diagnosis for each subscale (physical functioning, role physical, bodily pain, general health, vitality, social function, role emotional, and mental health) as well as the physical and mental composite scores.

CONCLUSIONS

In addition to negatively affecting knee function, sport medicine providers should be aware that knee injuries can negatively impact the health-related quality of life in these athletes immediately after injury.

Health-related quality of life and direct costs in patients with anterior cruciate ligament injury: single-bundle versus double-bundle reconstruction in a low-demand cohort--a randomized trial with 2 years of follow-up

PURPOSE

To evaluate health-related quality of life (HRQL) in patients undergoing anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstructive surgery by use of 2 procedures and to estimate the direct costs of surgery.

METHODS

We performed a 2-year randomized, prospective intervention study of 2 surgical ACL reconstruction techniques (anatomic single bundle [SB] v double bundle [DB]). Fifty-five consecutive outpatients, with a mean age of 30.88 years, were randomized to SB or DB ACL reconstruction. The Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) was used to measure HRQL (primary outcome). ACL injuries were assessed by the International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score (secondary outcome). The use of medical resources and their costs were evaluated.

RESULTS

We included 52 patients in the final analyses (23 in the SB group and 29 in the DB group). At baseline, there were no significant differences in study variables. At 2 years of follow-up, there were no significant differences in SF-36 and IKDC scores between groups. However, compared with baseline, the SF-36 physical function, physical role, bodily pain, social function, and emotional role scores were significantly better in the SB group (P < .05), whereas only the physical function dimension score was better in the DB group (P = .047). IKDC scores at 2 years improved significantly in the SB group (P < .001) and DB group (P = .004) compared with baseline. There was a significant correlation between the SF-36 physical function, physical role, and bodily pain dimensions and the IKDC score at 2 years (P < .05). The costs were € 3,251 for the SB group and € 4,172 for the DB group.

CONCLUSIONS

HRQL and medical outcomes were similar between SB and DB ACL reconstruction techniques, 2 years after surgery. However, the SB technique was more cost-effective.

The long-term function of the knee in patients with fibular hemimelia and anterior cruciate ligament deficiency

Most patients (95%) with fibular hemimelia have an absent anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). The purpose of this study was to assess the long-term outcome of such patients with respect to pain and knee function. We performed a retrospective review of patients with fibular hemimelia and associated ACL deficiency previously treated at our institution. Of a possible 66 patients, 23 were sent the Musculoskeletal Outcomes Data Evaluation and Management System (MODEMS) questionnaire and Lysholm knee score to complete. In all, 11 patients completed the MODEMS and nine completed the Lysholm score questionnaire. Their mean age was 37 years (27 to 57) at review. Five patients had undergone an ipsilateral Symes amputation. There was no significant difference in any subsections of the Short-Form 36 scores of our patients compared with age-matched controls. The mean Lysholm knee score was 90.2 (82 to 100). A slight limp was reported in six patients. No patients had episodes of locking of the knee or required a supportive device for walking. Four had occasional instability with sporting activities.

These results suggest that patients with fibular hemimelia and ACL deficiency can live active lives with a similar health status to age-matched controls.

Pre-operative factors predicting good outcome in terms of health-related quality of life after ACL reconstruction

The life situation of many patients changes after an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture and subsequent reconstruction, and this may affect their health-related quality of life in many ways. It is well known that the overall clinical results after ACL reconstruction are considered good, but pre-operative predictive factors for a good post-operative clinical outcome after ACL reconstruction have not been studied in as much detail. The purpose of this study was to identify pre-operative factors that predict a good post-operative outcome as measured by the Short Form 36 (SF-36) and Knee Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) 3-6 years after ACL reconstruction. Seventy-three patients scheduled for ACL reconstruction were clinically examined pre-operatively. The SF-36 and KOOS questionnaires were sent by mail to these patients 3-6 years after reconstruction. Predictive factors for health-related quality of life were investigated using a stepwise regression analysis. In conclusion, pre-operative factors, such as pivot shift, knee function, and range of motion, may predict a good post-operative outcome and explain up to 25% in terms of health-related quality of life after ACL reconstruction. Furthermore, it appears that the patients' pre-injury and pre-operative Tegner activity levels are important predictors of post-operative health-related quality of life.

Determining utility values in patients with anterior cruciate ligament tears using clinical scoring systems

Background

Several instruments and clinical scoring systems have been established to evaluate patients with ligamentous knee injuries. A comparison of individual articles in the literature is challenging, not only because of heterogeneity in methodology, but also due to the variety of the scoring systems used to document clinical outcomes. There is limited information about the correlation between used scores and quality of life with no information being available on the impact of each score on the utility values. The aim of this study was to compare the most commonly used scores for evaluating patients with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries, and to establish corresponding utility values. These values will be used for the interpretation and comparison of outcome results in the currently available literature for different treatment options.

Methods

Four hypothetical vignettes were defined, based on different levels of activities after rupture of the ACL to simulate typical situations seen in daily practice. A questionnaire, including the Health Utility Index (HUI) for utility values, the IKDC subjective score, the Lysholm and the Tegner score, was created and 25 orthopedic surgeons were asked to fill the questionnaire for each hypothetical patient as proxies for all patients they had treated and who would fit in that hypothetical vignette.

Results

The utility value as an indicator for quality of life increased with the level of activity. Having discomforts already during normal activities of daily living was rated with a mean utility value of 0.37 ± 0.19, half of that of a situation where mild sport activity was possible without discomfort (0.78 ± 0.11). All investigated scores were able to distinguish clearly (p < 0.05) between the hypothetical vignettes. However, the utility values correlated best with the IKDC subjective score (r = 0.86, p < 0.001) followed by the Lysholm score (r = 0.77, p < 0.001) and the Tegner score (r = 0.77, p < 0.001).

Conclusions

Here we report the correlation between the most commonly used scores for the assessment of patients with a ruptured ACL and utility values as an indicator of quality of life. Assumptions were based on expert opinions to provide a possible transformation algorithm. The IKDC subjective knee score showed the highest correlation to the quality of life (i.e. HUI) in patients with a ruptured ACL. Confirmation of our results is needed by systematic inclusion of a measurement instrument for utility values in future clinical studies beside the already used clinical knee scoring systems.

Prospective analysis of health-related quality of life and clinical evaluations in patients with anterior cruciate ligament injury undergoing reconstruction

INTRODUCTION

This study aimed to evaluate the treatment outcome of patients with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury using the patient-based quality of life (QOL) survey SF-36, and investigate the correlation with conventional objective assessment methods. Our hypothesis that SF-36 is a useful assessment method for QOL in patients with ACL injury, and this assessment clarifies the concord and the discord between doctor-based objective assessment.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A prospective study was conducted on patients who underwent ligament reconstruction. Eighty-one patients with a mean age of 27.4 years were analyzed. Clinical evaluations comprising SF-36 survey, Lysholm scoring, and anterior tibial translation measurement were conducted before as well as after surgery. The changes over time and the correlation between these evaluation methods were analyzed.

RESULTS

All SF-36 subscales were significantly improved after surgery. Regarding QOL of patients with ACL injury, the preoperative scores of all the subscales except vitality and mental health were lower than the national standard values, while the postoperative scores of all subclasses were not different from the national standards. A correlation was found between Lysholm score and all SF-36 subscale scores except general health before surgery, but a correlation was observed only with physical functioning, bodily pain and role emotional at 6 months after surgery, and with physical functioning, role physical, bodily pain and vitality at 12 months. No correlation between SF-36 scores and distance of anterior tibial translation was observed both before and after surgery.

DISCUSSION

The QOL of patients with ACL injury as assessed by SF-36 improved significantly after reconstruction surgery. The mental health subscales of SF-36 correlate with Lysholm score before surgery suggesting that apart from the physical impairment, lowered mental health is also an important clinical issue in patients with ACL injury.