What Role Does Positive Psychology Play in Understanding Pain Intensity and Disability Among Patients with Hand and Upper Extremity Conditions?

Potential Misinformation in the Official Disability Guidelines About the Diagnosis and Treatment of Rotator Cuff Tendinopathy

OBJECTIVE

We selected statements in the Official Disability Guidelines that had the potential to reinforce misconceptions regarding symptoms from rotator cuff tendinopathy. These statements were revised and presented with the original statement to specialists.

METHODS

Twelve statements regarding rotator cuff tendinopathy were identified as deviating from principles based on ethics, values, and the evidence regarding both pathophysiology and human illness behavior. One hundred fifteen upper extremity surgeons reviewed both original and revised versions of the statements and indicated their preference.

RESULTS

We found that upper extremity surgeons preferred 3 revised statements, 4 Official Disability Guidelines statements, and 5 were rated as neutral between the 2 statements.

CONCLUSIONS

Statements revised for evidence, ethics, and healthy mindset were not preferred by specialists, which may indicate limited awareness about how negative thoughts and distressing symptoms impact human illness.

Informed Consent and Digit Replantation: Current State and Recommendations for Ethical Patient Care

The importance of informed consent and the value of shared decision-making in hand surgery are well-established and particularly critical in the setting of digit amputation when considering replantation. Informed consent requires an understanding of not only the immediate and long-term risks and benefits of surgery, as well as the risks and alternatives involved, but also the capacity of the patient to make a medical decision. However, patients who have acutely sustained a disfiguring trauma are often in distress and may not fully process the consent discussion. Digit replantation is an "elective emergency"-the decision must be made immediately but is not lifesaving-which poses a difficult dilemma: are surgeons acting in patients' best interests by pursuing replantation if we engage those patients in informed consent discussions when they may not have capacity? This article explores the relevant bioethical principles associated with digit replantation, summarizes updated literature regarding informed consent and shared decision-making, and provides recommendations for patient education materials to standardize informed consent discussions for surgeons approaching patients at this unique intersection of considering revision amputation versus replantation.

Association of Preoperative Patient Resilience With Postoperative Patient-Reported Outcomes and Sleep Quality Following Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair: A Systematic Review

Recent studies have shown that low preoperative resilience may lead to inferior outcomes following arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. Therefore, the purpose of this systematic review is to evaluate whether preoperative patient resilience is associated with outcome measures, including patient-reported outcome measurements (PROMs) and sleep quality, following arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. To perform the review, a literature search was conducted according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines using the PubMed and Embase databases to gather studies related to the influence of preoperative resilience on postoperative outcomes of rotator cuff repair. Methodological quality and risk of bias were assessed using the Methodological Index for Non-randomized Studies (MINORS). Seven studies with 584 patients were included. Of 36 total reported postoperative outcomes, including PROMs and sleep quality, 14 had a significant positive correlation with higher preoperative resilience. One study reported that higher resilience was significantly correlated with worse sleep quality at a two-week follow-up but not at further follow-ups of up to 24 weeks. Significant differences in outcomes between patients with varying levels of resilience were assessed in five studies, all of which found that patients with higher resilience had significantly better outcomes or no significant differences in outcomes between patients with varying levels of preoperative resilience. In no study was it reported that patients with low resilience had better outcomes. Overall, approximately half of all reported postoperative outcome data was found to be significantly associated with preoperative resilience. Therefore, clinicians should preemptively identify those with low resilience and administer psychological interventions to limit inferior outcomes following arthroscopic rotator cuff repair.

Orthopaedic Hand Patient Support Systems Have Valuable Insight to Patient Function and Pain

Patient-reported outcome measures (PROs) are increasingly used in clinical assessment. Research on how patient support systems contribute to physician understanding of patient condition is limited. Thus, insights from significant others may provide value, especially when concerns exist regarding patient response validity. Patients recruited from the pre-operative environment undergoing orthopaedic hand procedures responded to PROMIS-Pain Interference (PI), PROMIS-Upper Extremity (UE), PROMIS-Depression (D), and QuickDASH. They then selected a significant other (SO) to do the same. Patients and SOs were also asked to complete the West Haven-Yale Multidimensional Pain Inventory (WHYMPI) as a measure of support-related responses. Patient and SO responses were compared, and support-related responses were added in subsequent analyses to examine their effect on SO PRO assessment.

Low Preoperative Brief Resilience Scale Scores Are Associated With Inferior Preoperative and Short-Term Postoperative Patient Outcomes Following Primary Autograft Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

Purpose

To assess preoperative Brief Resilience Scale (BRS) scores as they relate to postoperative patient outcomes following primary autograft anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR).

Methods

All patients who underwent primary autograft ACLR from 2016 to 2021 and had a patient-reported follow-up of 1 year and a clinical follow-up of 6 months were included in final data analysis. Patients completed validated PROMs pre- and postoperatively. All patients were objectively assessed with range of motion (ROM) and KT-1000 arthrometer testing. Return to sport (RTS) data were obtained for all applicable patients. Patients were divided into 3 groups based on ± ½ the standard deviation for the mean preoperative BRS score.

Results

In total, 170 patients who underwent primary autograft ACLR with a mean age of 20.1 years (range, 13-57 years) and a mean final follow-up time of 2.9 years (range, 1.0-5.8 years) were included in the final analysis. The mean preoperative BRS scores for the high-resilience (HR, n = 67), average-resilience (AR, n = 42), and low-resilience (LR, n = 61) groups were 28.1 (95% CI, 27.8-28.9), 24.5 (95% CI, 24.3-24.6), and 21.1 (95% CI, 20.5-21.7), respectively (P < .001). The HR group demonstrated significantly higher preoperative and postoperative patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) compared to the AR and LR groups, with more differences seen with the LR group. The HR group demonstrated better knee extension in postoperative month 3 compared to the LR group (0.6° [95% CI, -1.2° to 0.1°] vs -2.3° [95% CI, -3.3° to -1.3°], P = .006). The HR group demonstrated a faster RTS time compared to the LR group (6.4 months [95% CI, 6.1-6.7] vs 7.6 months [95% CI, 7.1-8.1], P = .002). No differences were seen in RTS rate, knee flexion, or KT-1000 arthrometer measurements between the 3 groups.

Conclusions

Low preoperative BRS scores were associated with inferior PROMs preoperatively and in the short-term postoperative period compared to those with higher preoperative BRS scores. Additionally, patients with lower preoperative BRS scores demonstrated a higher degree of knee extension loss 3 months postoperatively as well as a slower RTS.

Level of Evidence

Level III, retrospective cohort study.

Resilience correlates with patient-reported outcome measures at a minimum of 2 years after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair

Aims

We aimed to evaluate the correlation between preoperative and postoperative resilience scores and postoperative outcomes at minimum 2-year follow-up after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair.

Methods

We prospectively enrolled 98 patients who underwent rotator cuff repair. We assessed resilience using the Brief Resilience Scale. Postoperatively, we obtained patient-reported outcomes measures including American Society of Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons scores, Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation, and Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System Global Health-10 at minimum 2-year follow-up. We used Spearman correlation coefficients (r) to assess the relationship between variables.

Results

Ninety-one of 98 patients (93%) provided follow-up at an average of 32 months. Preoperative Brief Resilience Scale did not show a statistically significant correlation with American Society of Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (r = 0.156; p = 0.142). However, preoperative Brief Resilience Scale showed statistically significant correlations with Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System Global Health-10 (r = 0.290; p = 0.005) and Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation (r = 0.259; p = 0.014). Postoperative Brief Resilience Scale showed statistically significant correlations with American Society of Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (r = 0.291; p = 0.005), Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation (r = 0.384; p < 0.001) and Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System Global Health-10 (r = 0.515; p < 0.001).

Discussion

Resilience may be a valuable predictor of patients at risk of having suboptimal outcomes after rotator cuff repair and a target to improve surgical outcomes through non-surgical means.

Prescription Opioids and Patient-Reported Outcomes and Satisfaction After Carpal Tunnel Release Surgery

BACKGROUND

Amount of opioid use correlates poorly with procedure-related pain; however, prescription limits raise concerns about inadequate pain control and impacts on patient-reported quality indicators. There remain no consistent guidelines for postoperative pain management after carpal tunnel release (CTR). We sought to understand how postoperative opioid use impacts patient-reported outcomes after CTR.

METHODS

This is a pragmatic cohort study using prospectively collected data from all adult patients undergoing uncomplicated primary CTR over 17 months at our center. Patients were categorized as having received or not received a postoperative opioid prescription, and then as remaining on a prescription opioid at 2-week follow-up or not. Questionnaires were completed before surgery and at 2-week follow-up. We collected brief Michigan Hand questionnaire (bMHQ) score, Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Global Health score, satisfaction, and pain score.

RESULTS

Of 505 included patients, 405 received a postoperative prescription and 67 continued use at 2-weeks. These 67 patients reported lower bMHQ, lower satisfaction, and higher postoperative pain compared to those that discontinued. Multivariable regressions showed that receiving postoperative prescriptions did not significantly influence outcomes or satisfaction. However, remaining on the prescription at 2 weeks was associated with significantly lower bMHQ scores, particularly in patients reporting less pain.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients remaining on a prescription after CTR reported worse outcomes compared to those who discontinued. Unexpectedly, the widest bMHQ score gap was seen across patients reporting lowest pain scores. Further research into this high-risk subgroup is needed to guide policy around using pain and patient-reported outcomes as quality measures.Level of Evidence: Level III.

A scoping review on the methods of assessment and role of resilience on function and movement-evoked pain when experiencing a musculoskeletal injury

BACKGROUND

Resilience refers to an individual's ability to maintain effective functioning, by resisting, withstanding or recovering from stressors or adversity, including pain associated with physical injury (J Clin Psychol Med Settings 28:518-28, 2021). The aim of this scoping review is to determine the role of resilience in the experience of movement-evoked pain (MEP) and return to functional activity following a musculoskeletal injury.

METHODS

This review conformed to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews and the scoping review protocol of the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI). Five databases and one grey literature database were searched using predetermined key words and index terms to capture published and unpublished records on the topic. Two authors independently screened the title and abstract of each record, with the full-text of eligible records being reviewed. Papers were eligible for inclusion if they examined the population, concept and context of interest, were written in English and the full text was available. Data were extracted from each eligible record to guide discussion of the available literature on this topic.

RESULTS

Of 4771 records, 2695 articles underwent screening based on their title and abstract. After title and abstract screening 132 articles were eligible for full text review, with 24 articles included in the final analysis. This review identified that psychological resilience has primarily been investigated in the context of a range of age-related pathologies. The choice of functional and movement-evoked pain assessments in the included studies were often guided by the pathology of interest, with some being general or injury specific.

CONCLUSION

This scoping review identified inconsistent conclusions regarding the role of resilience in the experience of MEP and the ability to return to function for older adults with a musculoskeletal injury. This scoping review highlights the need for longitudinal research to be conducted that allows a broader age range, including younger adults, to determine if multidimensional resilience may promote recovery form musculoskeletal injury.

Factors associated with disability and pain intensity in patients with complex regional pain syndrome

PURPOSE

To examine the associations between psychological factors (pain catastrophizing, pain-related anxiety, and fear of pain) and level of pain and disability in patients with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS).

METHODS

One hundred and two patients with CRPS were recruited from tertiary care centers with the different upper limb injuries were evaluated for pain, disability, and psychological factors. Patients completed the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) Questionnaire, Patient Rated Wrist Evaluation (PRWE), Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK-11), and Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS). The associations of pain and disability with presence of these behavioral and mental health factors were examined using bivariate and multivariable analyses. These models were adjusted for age, sex, injured dominant hand, and previous surgery.

RESULTS

A higher pain catastrophizing score (β = 0.55, p = 0.00) was associated with greater disability. A higher pain catastrophizing score (β = 0.35, p = 0.001) and female gender (β = 0.24, p = 0.01) were associated with greater pain at rest (PAR). A higher pain catastrophizing score and having a surgical history were associated with greater pain with movement (β = 0.25, p = 0.02). Scores of ≥18.5 in PCS, ≥57.5 on TSK, and ≥15.5 on DASS were associated with higher risk of experiencing pain and disability.

CONCLUSIONS

Pain catastrophizing, female sex, and surgical intervention are associated with poor outcomes. Physiologic, psychological factors, and treatment factors interact to influence outcomes. The results of this study further validate the associations of chronic pain and disability with pain catastrophizing in patients with CRPS. The novel finding of this study is introducing cut-off scores for TSK, PCS, and DASS as a screening tool to predict pain, functional limitations.Implication for rehabilitationPain catastrophizing has a vital role in the magnitude of disability and pain in patients with CRPS.The novel finding of this paper was the cut-off scores on the psychological evaluations that can enable using them as screening tool for bad outcomes in patients with CRPS.Cut off scores from different psychological evaluations can be used as a yellow flag for clinician's for detecting patients with increased risk of pain and disability.The identification of a cut-off can also have implications for implementing change in clinical practice by identifying the need for early and intensive interventions.

Preoperative Patient-Reported Data Indicate the Risk of Prolonged Opioid Use After Hand and Upper Extremity Surgeries

PURPOSE

Opioids play an important role in pain management after surgery but also increase the risk of prolonged opioid use in patients. The identification of patients who are more likely to use opioids after intended short-term treatment is critical for employing alternative management approaches or targeted interventions for the prevention of opioid-related problems. We used patient-reported data (PRD) and electronic health record information to identify factors predictive of prolonged opioid use after surgery.

METHODS

We used our institutional registry containing data on all patients who underwent elective upper extremity surgeries. We evaluated factors associated with prolonged opioid use in the cohort from the year 2018 to 2019. We then validated our results using the 2020 cohort. The predictive variables included preoperative PRD and electronic health record data. Opioid use was determined based on patient reports and/or filled opioid prescriptions 3 months after surgery. We conducted bivariate regression, followed by multivariable regression analyses, and model validation using area under the receiver operating curve.

RESULTS

We included 2,114 patients. In our final model on the 2018-2019 electronic health records and PRD data (n = 1,589), including numerous patient-reported outcome questionnaire scores, patients who were underweight and had undergone trauma-related surgery had higher odds of being on opioids at 3 months. Additionally, each 5-unit decrease in the preoperative Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Global Physical Health score was associated with a 30% increased odds of being on opioids at 3 months. The area under the receiver operating curve of our model was 70.4%. On validation using data from the 2020 cohort, the area under the receiver operating curve was 60.3%. The Hosmer-Lemeshow test indicated a good fit.

CONCLUSIONS

We found that preoperative questionnaire scores were associated with prolonged postoperative opioid use, independent of other variables. Furthermore, PRD may provide unique patient-level insights, alongside other factors, to improve our understanding of postsurgical pain management.

TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Prognostic II.

Impact of patient resilience on early recovery from rotator cuff repair

AIMS

We sought to evaluate early recovery from rotator cuff repair by assessing the correlation between patient resilience and postoperative shoulder pain and function, and physical and mental health.

METHODS

Patients scheduled to undergo arthroscopic rotator cuff repair were prospectively enrolled. Resilience was assessed using the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS), pain and function was measured by American Society of Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) shoulder scores, and physical and mental health was measured by the Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System Global Health-10 (PROMIS-10). All scores were obtained preoperatively and postoperatively at three- and six months. Spearman correlation coefficient (r) was used to assess the relationship between variables.

RESULTS

Ninety-eight patients ultimately underwent rotator cuff repair; 76 and 68 patients provided three- and six-month follow-up, respectively. There was no statistically significant correlation between preoperative BRS and three- and six-month ASES. However, there was a statistically significant correlation between preoperative BRS and three-month PROMIS-10 (r = 0.3763, p = 0.009) and concurrent BRS and PROMIS-10 at three months (r = 0.5657, p = 0.0025) and six months (r = 0.5308, p = 0.0025).

DISCUSSION

Resilience appears to be more predictive of global physical and mental health than shoulder pain and function in early recovery from rotator cuff repair.

Long-Term Outcomes after Surgical Treatment of Radial Sensory Nerve Neuromas: Patient-Reported Outcomes and Rate of Secondary Surgery

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to (1) describe long-term patient-reported outcomes of surgically treated symptomatic radial sensory nerve neuromas on function, pain interference, pain intensity, and satisfaction; (2) assess which factors were associated with worse function, higher pain intensity, and more pain interference; and (3) describe the secondary surgery rate and factors associated with secondary surgery.

METHODS

The authors conducted a retrospective review of patients surgically treated for radial sensory nerve neuroma from 2002 to 2016 (n = 54). Twenty-five of these 54 patients completed a follow-up survey including the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) upper extremity, pain interference, and depression scales; numerical rating scale pain and satisfaction instruments; and the global rating scale of change, at a mean period of 10.7 ± 4.3 years after neuroma surgery.

RESULTS

The mean PROMIS scores were 45.0 ± 12.1 for upper extremity, 55.5 ± 10.3 for pain interference, and 49.9 ± 10.2 for depression, and were within 1 SD of the general population. Eight patients (32 percent) reported symptoms as unchanged or worse following neuroma surgery. The median numerical rating scale pain was 3 (interquartile range, 1 to 6) and the global rating scale of change satisfaction was 10 (interquartile range, 7 to 10). Older patients (p = 0.002) and patients with higher PROMIS pain interference (p < 0.001), higher numerical rating scale for pain (p = 0.012), and lower global rating scale of change scores (p = 0.01) had worse PROMIS upper extremity scores. The secondary surgery rate was 20 percent and was associated with the presence of multiple neuromas (p = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Radial sensory nerve neuromas remain difficult to treat. They have a high secondary surgery rate (20 percent), with only 68 percent of patients reporting improvement after surgical intervention. Patient-reported outcomes after surgery are similar to conditions of the general population; however, the range of outcomes is wide.

Resilience in the Orthopaedic Patient

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Resilience is a dynamic psychological construct that refers to the ability to adapt and improve when facing adversity or other stressors.

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Recent investigations in various orthopaedic subspecialties have demonstrated that resilience may contribute to favorable mental health and physical function after a surgical procedure.

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More research, using well-designed prospective studies, is necessary to better define the role that resilience and other factors play in the health and outcomes of patients with orthopaedic conditions.

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Orthopaedic surgeons can consider incorporating resilience assessments into their practices to aid in identifying patients who will do well with a surgical procedure and those who may benefit from specialized therapy to optimize their health and function.

Symptom cluster profiles following traumatic orthopedic injuries: A protocol

Traumatic injuries affect millions of Americans annually, resulting in $671 billion in healthcare costs and lost productivity. Postinjury symptoms, like pain, sleep disturbance, anxiety, depression, and stressor-related disorders are highly prevalent following traumatic orthopedic injuries (TOI) and may contribute to negative long-term outcomes. Symptoms rarely present in isolation, but in clusters of two or more symptoms that co-occur to affect health in aggregate. Identifying symptom cluster profiles following TOI may identify those at highest risk for negative outcomes. Dysregulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a potential biological mechanism responsible for symptom cluster profile membership after TOI and may be targeted in future precision-health applications. The purpose of this paper is to present the protocol of a cross-sectional study designed to identify symptom cluster profiles and measure the extent to which the BDNF val66met mutation and serum concentration of BDNF are associated with membership in symptom cluster profiles. We plan to recruit 150 TOI survivors within the first 72 h of injury. The study aims are to (1) describe TOI survivors' membership in symptom cluster profiles, indicated by pain, sleep disturbance, and symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stressor-related disorders, immediately following a TOI; (2) examine associations between demographic and clinical factors and symptom cluster profile membership among TOI survivors; (3) test the hypothesis that low serum concentrations of BDNF are associated with membership among symptom cluster profiles following TOI; and (4) test the hypothesis that the presence of the val66met mutation on one or both alleles of the BDNF gene is associated with membership among symptom cluster profiles following TOI.

The Influence of Entrepreneurs' Psychological Capital on Their Deviant Innovation Behavior

This study explores the influence of psychological capital on the deviant innovation behavior, with the purpose of realizing the application and development of positive psychology in the field of innovation and creation. First, the data was obtained based on the questionnaire, and the Likert scale was adopted to measure the variables effectively, in which 1 point means “never,” 2 points mean “rarely,” and 5 points mean “always.” Second, the SPSS 26.0 statistical analysis software was adopted, and a statistical analysis was made on the correlation among deviant innovation, psychological capital, work values, and work remodeling. Third, the relationship between psychological capital and deviant innovation behavior was explored using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP). The results showed that the reliability of each scale is good, Cronbach’s α coefficients are all higher than 0.8, and the fitting effect of the four-factor model is the best, proving that the highest differentiation validity can be achieved using the proposed method. Furthermore, there are significant correlations among entrepreneur’s psychological capital, entrepreneur’s work values, and entrepreneurship work remodeling and deviant innovation behavior, among which the psychological capital and work values are the most correlated with deviant innovation. With the psychological capital of entrepreneurs as the adjustment variable and the interaction added, the explanation rate of the level equation is increased from 17 to 24.2%. Therefore, the psychological capital of entrepreneurs plays a very big role in regulating work values and deviant innovation behavior. In the current environment of innovation and entrepreneurship development, it is necessary for entrepreneurs to give full reign to the regulatory role of their own psychological capital, so as to promote the development of self-active deviant innovation activities and encourage employees to actively innovate and create.

Psychosocial Correlates of Objective, Performance-Based, and Patient-Reported Physical Function Among Patients with Heterogeneous Chronic Pain

BACKGROUND

Improving all aspects of physical function is an important goal of chronic pain management. Few studies follow recent guidelines to comprehensively assess physical function via patient-reported, performance-based, and objective/ambulatory measures.

PURPOSE

To test 1) the interrelation between the 3 types of physical function measurement and 2) the association between psychosocial factors and each type of physical function measurement.

METHODS

Patients with chronic pain (N=79) completed measures of: 1) physical function (patient-reported disability; performance-based 6-minute walk-test; objective accelerometer step count); 2) pain and non-adaptive coping (pain during rest and activity, pain-catastrophizing, kinesiophobia); 3) adaptive coping (mindfulness, general coping, pain-resilience); and 4) social-emotional dysfunction (anxiety, depression, social isolation and emotional support). First, we tested the interrelation among the 3 aspects of physical function. Second, we used structural equation modeling to test associations between psychosocial factors (pain and non-adaptive coping, adaptive coping, and social-emotional dysfunction) and each measurement of physical function.

RESULTS

Performance-based and objective physical function were significantly interrelated (r=0.48, p<0.001) but did not correlate with patient-reported disability. Pain and non-adaptive coping (β=0.68, p<0.001), adaptive coping (β=-0.65, p<0.001) and social-emotional dysfunction (β=0.65, p<0.001) were associated with patient-reported disability but not to performance-based or objective physical function (ps>0.1).

CONCLUSION

Results suggest that patient-reported physical function may provide limited information about patients' physical capacity or ambulatory activity. While pain and non-adaptive reactions to it, adaptive coping, and social-emotional dysfunction may potentially improve patient-reported physical function, additional targets may be needed to improve functional capacity and ambulatory activity.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03412916.