Depression in orthopaedic trauma patients. Prevalence and severity

Prevalence, resources, provider insights, and outcomes: a review of patient mental health in orthopaedic trauma

This literature review examines the impact of orthopaedic trauma on patient mental health. It focuses on patient outcomes, available resources, and healthcare provider knowledge and education. Orthopaedic trauma represents a significant physical and psychological burden for patients, often resulting in long-term disability, pain, and functional limitations. Understanding the impact of orthopaedic trauma on patient mental health is crucial for improving patient care, and optimizing recovery and rehabilitation outcomes. In this review, we synthesize the findings of empirical studies over the past decade to explore the current understanding of mental health outcomes in patients with orthopaedic trauma. Through this analysis, we identify gaps in existing research, as well as potential avenues for improving patient care and mental health support for patients with severe orthopaedic injuries. Our review reveals the pressing need for collaboration between healthcare providers, mental health professionals, and social support systems to ensure comprehensive mental care for patients with traumatic orthopaedic injuries.

Prevalence of Depression and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Symptoms among Orthopaedic Post-Trauma Patients in Hospital Tuanku Jaafar Seremban (HTJS)

Introduction

Post-trauma patients are at risk of developing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depression. The primary goal of this study is to estimate the prevalence of PTSD and depression symptoms in patients who have been hospitalised for the treatment of physical trauma. Additionally, we wanted to compare the prevalence of PTSD or depression symptoms alone versus PTSD associated with depression symptoms, in orthopaedic post-trauma patients.

Materials and Methods

This study had involved orthopaedic post-trauma patients in the orthopaedic ward and clinic of Hospital Tuanku Jaafar (HTJ), Seremban, Malaysia, using an online questionnaire, which consist of English and Malay language. We then determined the prevalence of depression and PTSD symptoms in orthopaedic post-trauma patients and compared this prevalence to the severity of the injuries sustained and any association between PTSD and depression symptoms.

Results

Only 12.9% of the participants are likely to have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and 43.3% of participants have depression symptoms. There is no significant association between patient demographics and severity of the injuries with the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression symptoms. However, of those deemed likely to have PTSD, 93.5% of them had both post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms as well as depressive symptoms.

Conclusion

Only a few of the participants are likely to develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) while almost half of the participants are likely to have developed depression. Physicians caring for trauma patients should screen them for early symptoms of PTSD and depression and treat them accordingly.

Development of a Questionnaire for Measuring Trauma-Informed Care of Nurses Working with Traumatically Injured Patients

Purpose

To develop a new questionnaire for assessing nurses' current situation of knowledge, attitude and practice related to trauma-informed care (TIC) for patients with traumatic injury.

Methods

By literature review, qualitative interview and Delphi consultation, the 46 preliminary items about trauma-informed care of nurses working with traumatically injured patients were selected. After that, the preliminary questionnaire was distributed to 293 Chinese nurses in relevant departments. The collected data were analyzed by internal reliability, split-half reliability, structural validity and content validity.

Results

The questionnaire was developed with a total of 30 items in 3 dimensions: 8 items in the TIC knowledge dimension, 10 items in the TIC attitude dimension and 12 items in the TIC practice dimension. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.939, and the content validity was 0.971.

Conclusion

This designed questionnaire shews receptable reliability and validity, which could be used to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of nurses in application of trauma-informed care for traumatically injured patients.

Impact of Anxiety During Hospitalization on the Clinical Outcome of Patients With Osteoporotic Thoracolumbar Vertebral Fracture

STUDY DESIGN

Multicenter prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVES

Anxiety in combination with osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCFs) of the spine remains understudied. The purpose of this study was to analyze whether anxiety has an impact on the short-term functional outcome of patients with an OVCF. Furthermore, a direct impact of the fracture on the patient's anxiety during hospitalization should be recognized.

METHODS

All inpatients with an OVCF of the thoracolumbar spine from 2017 to 2020 were included. Trauma mechanism, analgetic medication, anti-osteoporotic therapy, timed-up-and-go test (TuG), mobility, Barthel index, Oswestry-Disability Index (ODI) and EQ5D-5L were documented.For statistical analysis, the U test, chi-square independence test, Spearman correlation, General Linear Model for repeated measures, Bonferroni analysis and Wilcoxon test were used. The item anxiety/depression of the EQ5D-5L was analyzed to describe the patients' anxiousness.

RESULTS

Data from 518 patients from 17 different hospitals were evaluated. Fracture severity showed a significant correlation (r = .087, P = .0496) with anxiety. During the hospital stay, pain medication (P < .001), anti-osteoporotic medication (P < .001), and initiation of surgical therapy (P < .001) were associated with less anxiety. The anxiety of a patient at discharge was negatively related to the functional outcomes at the individual follow-up: TuG (P < .001), Barthel index (P < .001), ODI (P < .001) and EQ5D-5L (P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

Higher anxiety is associated with lower functional outcome after OVCF. The item anxiety/depression of the EQ5D-5L provides an easily accessible, quick and simple tool that can be used to screen for poor outcomes and may also offer the opportunity for a specific anxiety intervention.

Predictors of chronic pain and disability in patients treated conservatively after distal radius fracture: a prospective cohort study

PURPOSE

To determine predictors of chronic pain and disability among patients with distal radius fractures (DRF) treated conservatively with closed reduction and cast immobilization.

METHODS

This was a prospective cohort study. Information on patient characteristics, post-reduction radiographic parameters, finger and wrist range of motion, psychological status (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale or HADS), pain (Numeric Rating Scale or NRS), and self-perceived disability (Disabilities of the Arm, Should, and Hand or DASH) were taken at baseline, cast removal, and 24 weeks. Differences in outcomes between time points were determined using analysis of variance. Multiple linear regressions were used to determine predictors of pain and disability at 24 weeks.

RESULTS

One hundred forty patients with DRF (70% women, age: 67.0 ± 17.9) completed 24 weeks of follow-up and were included in the analysis. NRS (off-cast), range of ulnar deviation (off-cast), and greater occupational demands were significant predictors of pain at week 24 (adjusted R² = 0.331, p < 0.001). Significant predictors of perceived disability at week 24 were HADS (off cast), sex (female), dominant-hand injury, and range of ulnar deviation (off cast) (adjusted R² = 0.265, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Off-cast NRS and HADS scores are important modifiable predictors of patient-reported pain and disability at 24 weeks in patients with DRF. These factors should be targeted in the prevention of chronic pain and disability post-DRF.

Development of posttraumatic stress disorder and depression after open globe injury in adults

PURPOSE

To investigate the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression after open globe injury in adults.

METHODS

A total of 95 participants, 43 adult patients with open globe injury and 52 age-sex similar subjects (control group), were included in this cross-sectional study. Age, gender, education level, occupation, accident history, psychiatric history, trauma type, cause of trauma, and visual acuity were recorded. One to six months after trauma, PTSD and depression symptoms of the participants were evaluated with the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Questionnaire-Civil Version Scale (PTSD-S) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), respectively.

RESULTS

Patients with open globe injury had a higher PTSD-S total score than the control group, but not significant (23.67 ± 20.41 vs. 18.56 ± 13.13, p = 0.580). Patients with eye trauma exhibited a much higher prevalence of PTSD compared to the control group (20.9% vs. 3.8%, p = 0.010). Patients with trauma had a significantly higher BDI total score than the control group (12.47 ± 10.08 vs. 7.69 ± 6.10, p = 0.015). Also, patients had a higher rate of depression symptoms than controls (25.6% vs. 7.7%, p = 0.017). A significant positive correlation was observed between PTSD-S and BDI scores in the trauma group (r = 0.720, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

An increased prevalence of PTSD and depression was observed in adults after open globe injury. The significant relationship between PTSD-S and BDI scores indicates that patients with open globe injuries should be questioned in terms of both symptoms. For patients with open globe trauma, a holistic approach with psychosocial assessment in addition to physical intervention would be beneficial.

Clinical outcomes following major trauma for patients with a diagnosis of depression: a large UK database analysis

Background

More than a quarter of the UK population are affected by depression during their lifetime. For major trauma patients, postinjury depression can result in poorer long-term outcomes, but there is limited evidence regarding outcomes for patients with pre-existing depression. This study investigated the relationship between a diagnosis of depression prior to hospital admission and clinical outcomes after major trauma.

Methods

Trauma patients at a UK major trauma center were identified during a 6.5-year period using the Trauma Audit and Research Network database. Patients with Injury Severity Score >15 who did not die in the emergency department (ED) were included. Logistic regression models were used to compare in-hospital mortality (excluding ED), requirement for surgery, and length of stay (LOS) between those with depression and those without.

Results

There were 4602 patients included in the study and 6.45% had a diagnosis of depression. Depression was associated with a significant reduction in mortality (OR 0.54, 95% CI 0.30 to 0.91; p=0.026). However, patients with depression were more likely to have longer LOS (OR 124, 95% CI 8.5 to 1831; p<0.001) and intensive care unit LOS (OR 9.69, 95% CI 3.14 to 29.9; p<0.001). Patients with depression were also more likely to undergo surgery (OR 1.36, 95% CI 1.06 to 1.75; p=0.016).

Discussion

A pre-existing diagnosis of depression has complex association with clinical outcomes after major trauma, with reduced mortality but longer LOS and higher likelihood of surgical intervention. Further prospective investigations are warranted to inform optimal management strategies for major trauma patients with pre-existing depression.

Level of evidence

III.

Changing Pain Management Strategy from Opioid-Centric towards Improve Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction with Dexmedetomidine

OBJECTIVE

This study was aimed to investigate the effectiveness of dexmedetomidine (DEX) on improving the level of pain and disability to find out the possible correlation between psychological factors with pain management satisfaction and physical function in patients with femoral neck fractures.

METHODS

One hundred twenty-four adult patients with stable femoral neck fractures (type I and II, Garden classification) who underwent internal fixation, were prospectively enrolled including 62 patients in the DEX group and 62 patients in the control group. The magnitude of disability using Harris Hip Score, Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction (POCD) using Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE score), Quality of Recovery (QoR-40), pain-related anxiety (PASS-20), pain management and pain catastrophizing scale (PCS) were recorded on the first and second day after surgery.

RESULTS

The DEX group on the first and second days after surgery exhibited higher quality of recovery scores, greater satisfaction with pain management, low disability scores, less catastrophic thinking, lower pain anxiety, greater mini mental state examination scores and less opioid intake and the differences were statistically significant compared with the control group (P<0.001). Emergence agitation and incidence of POCD were significantly less in the DEX group (P<0.001). Decreased disability was associated with less catastrophic thinking and lower pain anxiety, but not associated with more opioid intake (P<0.001). Higher QoR-40 scores had a negative correlation with more catastrophic thinking and more opioid intake (P<0.001). Greater satisfaction with pain management was correlated with less catastrophic thinking and less opioid intake (P<0.001).

CONCLUSION

Using DEX as an adjunct to anesthesia could significantly improve postoperative cognitive dysfunction and the quality of recovery and these improvements were accompanied by decrease in pain, emergence agitation, and opioid consumption by DEX administration. Since pain relief and decreased disability were not associated with prescribing greater amounts of opioid intake in the patients, improving psychological factors, including reducing catastrophic thinking or self-efficacy about pain, could be a more effective strategy to reduce pain and disability, meanwhile reducing opioid prescription in the patients. Our findings showed that DEX administration is safe sedation with anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antiemetic effects and it could help change pain management strategy from opioid-centric towards improved postoperative cognitive dysfunction.

The outcome of hydrodilation in frozen shoulder patients and the relationship with kinesiophobia, depression, and anxiety

Purpose

The aims of this study were to (1) investigate the effect of hydrodilatation in frozen shoulder patients on objective indices of shoulder functionality and subjective outcomes of pain, mobility, kinesiophobia, depression, and anxiety, and (2) progress knowledge about the reciprocal temporal relationship between psychological parameters at baseline and objective and subjective outcomes at 3-month follow-up.

Methods

We evaluated the clinical and psychological status of 72 patients with a frozen shoulder before and after hydrodilatation, using the Constant Murley score, the Visual Analogue score, the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and the Shoulder Pain And Disability Index.

Results

We noted a significant improvement in functionality, pain and disability (p < .001). Depression and anxiety improved significantly (p < .001) between baseline and 3-month follow-up. Prospective analyses demonstrated that psychological factors are more likely to predict outcomes of hydrodilatation than vice versa.

Conclusion

Hydrodilatation followed by physiotherapy is an excellent way to treat patients with recalcitrant frozen shoulder, resulting in a continuous improvement of ROM and pain. Physiotherapists and physicians should be aware that psychological factors might have an impact on the treatment outcome.

A matched-control study on the effects of depressive disorders following open reduction and internal fixation for acetabular fractures

INTRODUCTION

The World Health Organization (WHO) postulates that depressive disorders (DD) will be the leading cause of morbidity and mortality by 2030. Studies evaluating the association of DD following open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) for the treatment of acetabular fractures are limited. Therefore, the purpose of this matched-control study was to determine whether DD patients undergoing ORIF for acetabular fractures have higher rates of: (1) in-hospital lengths of stay (LOS); (2) readmissions; (3) medical complications; and (4) costs of care.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective query from the 100% Medicare Standard Analytical Files (SAF) was performed to identify patients who underwent ORIF for acetabular fractures. The study group consisted of those patients with DD, whereas patients without the condition served as controls. Primary endpoints of the study were to compare in-hospital LOS, readmission rates, ninety-day medical complications, and costs of care. A p-value less than 0.01 was considered statistically significant.

RESULTS

The query yielded 7084 patients within the study (ORIF = 1187, control = 5897). DD patients were found to have significantly longer in-hospital LOS (11 days vs. 10 days, p < 0.0001); however, odds (OR) of readmission rates were similar (23.16 vs. 18.68%; OR: 0.91, p = 0.26). Multivariate regression demonstrated DD to be associated with significantly higher (67.69 vs. 25.54%; OR: 2.64, p < 0.0001) 90-day medical complications. DD patients had significantly higher day of surgery ($30,505.93 vs. $28,424.85, p < 0.0001) and total global 90-day costs ($41,721.98 vs. $37,330.16, p < 0.0001) of care.

CONCLUSION

After adjusting for covariates, DD is associated with longer in-hospital, complications, and costs of care in patients undergoing ORIF for the treatment of acetabular fractures, whereas readmission rates are similar. The study is vital as it can be used by orthopaedists and healthcare professionals to adequately educate these patients of the potential outcomes following their surgical procedure.

Self-Inflicted Traumatic Bilateral Upper Extremity Amputation as a Suicidal Gesture?

Traumatic amputations are partial or complete dismemberment of part of the human body (usually one limb) due to an injury that involves a component of blunt force trauma. It is usually caused by accidental events and only very rarely due to suicidal events. A 37-year-old female with major depressive disorder attempted suicide by placing her forearms on a railroad track, resulting in traumatic bilateral upper extremity amputations. Emergency Department resuscitation was initiated as the patient was taken immediately to the operating room; however, restoration of the limbs was unfeasible, and the patient had successful debriding and fashioning a flap to the distal ends of the upper extremities after hemostasis was achieved. Depression may still be an undertreated clinical entity in our society, and many preventable causes of suicide are attempted each year. Evidence exists that suggests severe suicide attempts occur generally in men and minor suicide attempts, or so-called suicidal gestures, occur generally in women. This case questions this notion.

Factors Associated with a Recommendation for Operative Treatment for Fracture of the Distal Radius

Background  Evidence suggests that there is substantial and unexplained surgeon-to-surgeon variation in recommendation of operative treatment for fractures of the distal radius. We studied (1) what factors are associated with recommendation for operative treatment of a fracture of the distal radius and (2) which factors are rated as the most influential on recommendation of operative treatment. Methods  One-hundred thirty-one upper extremity and fracture surgeons evaluated 20 fictitious patient scenarios with randomly assigned factors (e.g., personal, clinical, and radiologic factors) for patients with a fracture of the distal radius. They addressed the following questions: (1) Do you recommend operative treatment for this patient (yes/no)? We determined the influence of each factor on this recommendation using random forest algorithms. Also, participants rated the influence of each factor-excluding age and sex- on a scale from 0 (not at all important) to 10 (extremely important). Results  Random forest algorithms determined that age and angulation were having the most influence on recommendation for operative treatment of a fracture of the distal radius. Angulation on the lateral radiograph and presence or absence of lunate subluxation were rated as having the greatest influence and smoking status and stress levels the lowest influence on advice to patients. Conclusions  The observation that-other than age-personal factors have limited influence on surgeon recommendations for surgery may reflect how surgeon cognitive biases, personal preferences, different perspectives, and incentives may contribute to variations in care. Future research can determine whether decision aids-those that use patient-specific probabilities based on predictive analytics in particular-might help match patient treatment choices to what matters most to them, in part by helping to neutralize the influence of common misconceptions as well as surgeon bias and incentives. Level of Evidence  There is no level of evidence for the study.

A Live Video Program to Prevent Chronic Pain and Disability in At-Risk Adults With Acute Orthopedic Injuries (Toolkit for Optimal Recovery): Protocol for a Multisite Feasibility Study

BACKGROUND

Despite the pivotal role of psychosocial factors in pain and disability after orthopedic injury, there are no evidence-based preventive interventions targeting psychosocial factors in patients with acute orthopedic injuries. We developed the first mind-body intervention focused on optimizing recovery and improving pain and disability in patients with acute orthopedic injuries who exhibit high levels of catastrophic thinking about pain and/or pain anxiety (Toolkit for Optimal Recovery [TOR] after orthopedic injury). In a pilot single-site randomized controlled trial (RCT), the TOR met a priori set benchmarks for feasibility, acceptability, and satisfaction. The next step in developing TOR is to conduct a multisite feasibility RCT to set the stage for a scientifically rigorous hybrid efficacy-effectiveness trial.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study is to conduct a rigorous multisite feasibility RCT of TOR to determine whether the intervention and study methodology meet a priori set benchmarks necessary for the successful implementation of a future multisite hybrid efficacy-effectiveness trial. In this paper, we describe the study design, manualized treatments, and specific strategies used to conduct this multisite feasibility RCT investigation.

METHODS

This study will be conducted at 3 geographically diverse level 1 trauma centers, anonymized as sites A, B, and C. We will conduct a multisite feasibility RCT of TOR versus the minimally enhanced usual care (MEUC) control (60 patients per site; 30 per arm) targeting a priori set feasibility benchmarks. Adult patients with acute orthopedic injuries who endorse high pain catastrophizing or pain anxiety will be recruited approximately 1-2 months after injury or surgery (baseline). Participants randomized to the TOR will receive a 4-session mind-body treatment delivered via a secure live video by trained clinical psychologists. Participants randomized to the MEUC will receive an educational booklet. Primary outcomes include feasibility of recruitment, appropriateness, feasibility of data collection, acceptability of TOR (adherence to sessions), and treatment satisfaction across all sites. We will also collect data on secondary implementation outcomes, as well as pain severity, physical and emotional function, coping skills, and adverse events. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline, posttreatment, and at the 3-month follow-up.

RESULTS

Enrollment for the RCT is estimated to begin in June 2021. The target date of completion of the feasibility RCT is April 2024. The institutional review board approval has been obtained (January 2020).

CONCLUSIONS

This investigation examines the multisite feasibility of TOR administered via live videoconferencing in adult patients with acute orthopedic injuries. If feasible, the next step is a multisite, hybrid efficacy-effectiveness trial of TOR versus MEUC. Preventive psychosocial interventions can provide a new way to improve patient and provider satisfaction and decrease suffering and health care costs among patients with orthopedic injuries who are at risk for chronic pain and disability.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

PRR1-10.2196/28155.

Depression, Anxiety, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Following Orthopedic War Injuries

Introduction

There are ongoing wars worldwide, during which significant numbers of people are injured. Several studies have indicated that high rates of depression and anxiety are seen in war-injured patients.

Methods

Eighty-one male patients treated between November 2019 and January 2021 far from home in a Turkish hospital due to war injuries that happened in the Libyan Civil War were investigated. Demographic characteristics and injury data of the patients were evaluated regarding age, Injury Severity Score (ISS), location of injuries, type and mechanism of injuries, operations, and accompanying traumas. The psychological statuses of the patients were evaluated with the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) records filled out at the first admission to the hospital.

Results

The mean age of the patients was 29.8±7.7 (19-56) years. While 59 patients had fractures, 22 patients had only soft tissue injuries. Eighteen patients suffered from other accompanying injuries. While 85.2% of the patients showed symptoms of depression, 82.7% of the patients suffered from anxiety and PTSD symptoms were seen in 86.4% of the patients. Statistical analysis was performed to investigate the effects of injury severity, duration of hospitalization, number of operations, and age on depression, anxiety, and PTSD among these patients with war injuries. The results did not indicate any significant effect of injury severity, hospitalization duration, or operations.

Conclusion

Depression, anxiety, and PTSD are common in patients injured in wars. Injury severity does not seem to affect depression, anxiety, or PTSD in these patients.

Prevalence and association of anxiety and depression among orthopaedic trauma inpatients: a retrospective analysis of 1994 cases

Background

Patients with traumatic injuries are often accompanied by emotional disorders, which seriously impede functional gains. The objective of this study was to identify the prevalence and risk factors associated with underlying anxiety and depression in orthopaedic trauma patients.

Methods

From July 2015 to December 2017, all orthopaedic trauma patients were included in the retrospective study. Patients with conditions that might affect cognitive impairment were excluded from the study. Basic demographic data were collected. All patients were screened for emotional disorders on admission using a simple questionnaire called “Huaxi Emotional-Distress Index” (HEI). Bivariate analyses and logistic regression were used to identify the factors associated with a HEI score of > 8.

Results

One hundred and sixty-two patients (8.1%) had a HEI score of > 8. About 1.0% of enrolled patients had severe emotional disorders (HEI score ≥ 17). The reasons caused by emotional disorders in patients with orthopaedic trauma were a higher Injury Severity Score (ISS), a higher visual analogue score (VAS) and type of surgery. On logistic regression, marital status was a protective factor for emotional disorders, while VAS and ISS were the risk factors for emotional disorders.

Conclusions

Although a significantly low percentage of orthopaedic trauma patients in our setting have emotional disorders, traumatic orthopaedic surgeons still need to pay attention to the risk of emotional disorders and integrate effective screening tools into clinical practice to screen for these factors and stratify emotional disorders. Appropriate targeted psychological intervention and treatment should be adopted according to the stratification of emotional disorders.

Interventional Efforts to Reduce Psychological Distress After Orthopedic Trauma: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

Unanticipated severe injury to part of the musculoskeletal system, referred to as orthopedic trauma, can be debilitating. It can also be accompanied by equally debilitating psychological distress, but little is known about the effective interventions for psychological sequelae of orthopedic trauma.

QUESTIONS/PURPOSES

We sought to determine the effectiveness of interventions on psychological outcomes, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and pain catastrophizing (feelings of helplessness, excessive rumination, and exaggerated description of pain), after major orthopedic trauma.

METHODS

Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement as guidelines, we systematically searched Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar. Studies included for review were English-language interventional studies in an orthopedic trauma population that included assessment of post-injury psychological distress or disability as either a primary or secondary aim.

RESULTS

Twelve studies were identified, including six randomized trials, three prospective cohort studies, and three retrospective cohort studies. Study sample sizes ranged from 48 to 569 patients, the mean age ranged from 29 to 52.8 years, and the percentage of male patients ranged from 38 to 90%. We examined four categories of interventions. Peer group treatment (one study) significantly reduced rates of depression but had low participation rates. Brief interventions to teach coping and self-efficacy skills (two studies) decreased depression, pain catastrophizing, and anxiety scores while increasing self-efficacy on short-term follow-up. Individualized counseling and rehabilitation (four studies) resulted in a consistent reduction in the risk of PTSD. Early amputation was found to result in lower rates of PSTD than limb salvage in US military personnel (four studies). One study examined surgeons' confidence in dealing with possible psychological distress; surgeons who participated in a program on collaborative care were significantly more confident that they could help their patients with such issues.

CONCLUSION

Interventional strategies, including group interventions, brief individual interventions, longitudinal counseling, and consideration of early amputation in selected populations have proved effective in reducing negative psychological sequelae of major orthopedic trauma. Further research that determines the effects of interventions in this population is needed.

Relation of length of stay and other hospital variables to posttraumatic stress disorder and depression after orthopedic trauma

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression are common following orthopedic trauma. This study examined the relationship between injury- and hospital-related variables and PTSD and depression at baseline and 12 months after orthopedic trauma. This longitudinal, prospective cohort study examined adult orthopedic trauma patients admitted ≥24 hours to a level I trauma center. Non-English/Spanish-speaking and cognitively impaired patients were excluded. The Primary Care PTSD screen and PTSD Checklist-Civilian version assessed PTSD, and the Patient Health Questionnaire 8-Item assessed depression. Demographic and hospital-related variables were examined (e.g., hospital length of stay, Injury Severity Score, Glasgow Coma Scale). For 160 participants, PTSD prevalence was 23% at baseline and 21% at 12 months. Depression prevalence was 28% at baseline and 29% at 12 months. Ventilation (P = 0.023, P = 0.006) and prolonged length of stay (P = 0.008, P = 0.003) were correlated with baseline PTSD and depression. Injury etiology (P = 0.008) and Injury Severity Score (P = 0.013) were associated with baseline PTSD. Intensive care unit admission (P = 0.016, P = 0.043) was also correlated with PTSD at baseline and 12 months. Ventilation (P = 0.002, P = 0.040) and prolonged length of stay (P < 0.001, P = 0.001) were correlated with 12-month PTSD and depression. Early and continued screenings with potential interventions could benefit patients' physical and mental rehabilitation after orthopedic injury.

Prevalence and association of depression in in-patient orthopaedic trauma patients: A single centre study in India

INTRODUCTION

Depression is characterized by a persistent state of low mood and aversion to activity affecting a person's thoughts, behavior, feelings and sense of well-being. It has been reported in Orthopaedic trauma patients. Depression is likely to interfere in an individual's ability to sustain a long duration rehabilitation programme leading to poor function and delayed return to a productive lifestyle. The objective of this study was to identify the prevalence and identify factors associated with depression in indoor Orthopaedic trauma patients.

METHODS

This prospective cohort study was conducted on 190 adult Orthopaedic trauma patients enrolled on a randomly selected day of a week subject to written informed consent. Patients with conditions that may preclude assessment of the mental status were excluded from the study. Age, sex, duration since injury, Injury Severity Score (ISS), type of surgery, marital status, insurance coverage, level of education, socioeconomic status, familial support, substance abuse. Hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS) score and pain score (visual analogue scale) were recorded as soon as the patient was stabilized. Bivariate analyses and Logistic regression were used to identify factors associated with a HADS score of ≥8.

RESULTS

Mean age was 33.8 years. One hundred fifty-one (79.47%) patients were males and thirty-nine patients were females (21.53%). A HADS score ≥8 was present in 42.63% enrolled cases. On logistic regression a higher pain score, nuclear family, and female sex were found to be significantly associated with HADS ≥8.

CONCLUSION

Depression is common in indoor Orthopaedic trauma patients. HADS may be used to screen patients for depression and refer patients to a psychiatrist for a definitive diagnosis and management.

Are we missing the mark? Relationships of psychosocial issues to outcomes after injury: A review of OTA annual meeting presentations

OBJECTIVES

To observe the availability of information about social, emotional, and psychological factors in abstracts presented at the Orthopaedic Trauma Association (OTA) annual meeting.

DATA SOURCE

OTA website (https://ota.org/education/meetings-and-courses/meeting-archive/).

STUDY SELECTION

All abstracts selected for paper or poster presentation at the 2016 through 2018 OTA annual meetings, as published in the final program. Studies were included if they sought to measure mental illness, substance use or abuse, pain, or other psychosocial issues. If studies utilized 1 or more patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), they were also included.

DATA EXTRACTION

For each abstract meeting inclusion criterion, studies were assessed for interventions intended to improve outcomes in any of the listed psychosocial domains.

DATA SYNTHESIS/RESULTS

Nine hundred forty-two abstracts were evaluated over a 3-year period. Of these, 294 (31.2%) met inclusion criteria. Twenty-five abstracts (8.5% of 294) reported mental illness, with depression (n = 14), anxiety (n = 9), and posttraumatic stress disorder (n = 5) being the most common. Eighty-eight abstracts (29.9% of 294) reported substance-use of tobacco, alcohol, narcotics, and/or recreational drugs. Tobacco-use was most prevalent (n = 59), followed by opioid-use (n = 31). Ten abstracts reported substance abuse. Pain was measured in 95 abstracts, and 203 abstracts utilized PROMs. Thirty-five abstracts found that these psychosocial elements significantly impacted outcomes or complications. Many abstracts did not assess the influence of these factors on clinical outcomes (n = 99). Sixteen studies described an intervention aimed at mitigating these features.

CONCLUSIONS

This study illustrates limited attention to the impact of psychological, social, and environmental factors on outcomes after orthopaedic trauma. Substance-abuse problems and mental health concerns are not only predictors of poor clinical and PROMs of pain and quality of life after injury, but have also been implicated in subsequent recidivism. Only 3% of 942 abstracts observed mental health and 1% reported substance-abuse. Moving forward, greater understanding of psychosocial issues may enhance interventions to impact long-term outcomes.

Prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder in acute trauma patients

Objective

To determine the prevalence of positive screening for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) amongst trauma patients.

Design

Prospective, longitudinal study.

Setting

Single urban US level 1 trauma center.

Patients and methods

Four hundred fifty-two adult trauma patients were administered the PTSD checklist for DSM-V (PCL-5) survey upon posthospital outpatient clinic visit. This included 300 men (66%) and 152 women with mean age 43.8 years and mean Injury Severity Score (ISS) 11.3, with 83% having fractures of the pelvis and/or extremities. Medical and injury related variables were recorded. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors predictive of screening positive for PTSD.

Main outcome measurement

Prevalence and risk factors for screening positive for PTSD amongst the trauma patient population.

Results

Twenty-six percent of trauma patients screened positive for PTSD after mean 86 days following injury. These patients were younger (35 vs 46 years old, P < 0.001) and more commonly African American (56% vs 43% Caucasian, P < 0.001). Pedestrians struck by motor vehicles (OR 4.70, P = 0.040) and victims of crime (OR 4.12, P = 0.013) were more likely to screen positive. Psychiatric history, injury severity (ISS), and injury type did not predict positive screening.

Conclusion

One-in-four patients suffering traumatic injuries screened positive for PTSD suggesting the prevalence of PTSD among trauma patients far exceeds that of the general population. Predictive factors included victims of crime and pedestrians struck by motor vehicles. Screening measures are needed in orthopaedic trauma surgery clinics to refer these at-risk patients for proper evaluation and treatment.

Level of evidence

Prognostic; Level II.

Implementing psychosocial programming at a level 1 trauma center: results from a 5-year period

BACKGROUND

The primary goal of the present study is to describe the psychosocial support services provided at our institution and the evolution of such programming through time. This study will also report the demographics and injury patterns of patients using available resources.

METHODS

Trauma Recovery Services (TRS) is a social and psychological support program that provides services and resources to patients and families admitted to our hospital. It includes a number of different services such as emotional coaching from licensed counselors, educational materials, peer mentorship from trauma survivors, monthly support groups, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) screening and programming for victims of crime. Patients using services were prospectively recorded by hired staff, volunteers and students who engaged in distributing programming. Demographics and injury characteristics were retrospectively gathered from patient's medical records.

RESULTS

From May of 2013 through December 2018, a total of 4977 discrete patients used TRS at an urban level 1 trauma center. During the study period, 31.4% of the 15 640 admitted adult trauma patients were exposed to TRS and this increased from 7.2% in 2013 to 60.1% in 2018. During the period of 5.5 years, 3317 patients had 'direct contact' (coaching and/or educational materials) and 1827 patients had at least one peer visit. The average number of peer visits was 2.7 per patient (range: 2-15). Of the 114 patients who attended support groups over 4 years, 55 (48%) attended more than one session, with an average of 3.9 visits (range: 2-10) per patient. After the establishment of PTSD screening and Victims of Crime Advocacy and Recovery Program (VOCARP) services in 2017, a total of 482 patients were screened for PTSD and 974 patients used VOCARP resources during the period of 2 years, with substantial growth from 2017 to 2018.

CONCLUSIONS

Hospital-provided resources aimed at educating patients, expanding support networks and bolstering resiliency were popular at our institution, with nearly 5000 discrete patients accessing services during a period of 5.5 years. Moving forward, greater investigation of program usage, development, and efficacy is necessary.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level II therapeutic.

Implementing recovery resources in trauma care: impact and implications

Objectives:

To identify resources that patients perceive as helpful to their recovery and to characterize the impact of the Trauma Survivor Network (TSN), a program committed to enhancing recovery through education and engagement.

Design:

Prospective cohort study.

Setting:

Level 1 trauma center.

Patients/Participants:

Four hundred eighty-five patients with musculoskeletal injuries. Two hundred eleven were exposed to TSN resources (Group 1). One hundred thirty-five patients were treated during the same period with no exposure (Group 2, control). One hundred thirty-nine patients were treated 1 to 3 months prior to TSN implementation (Group 3, control).

Intervention:

TSN resources including educational materials, family classes, peer survivor visits, coaching, online services, and support groups.

Main outcome measure:

A survey to assess hospital experience and perceptions about recovery.

Results:

On a Likert scale from 0 to 5, patients were highly satisfied (mean 4.24), with no differences based on TSN exposure. Patients exposed to TSN programming reported greater perceived likelihood of recovery: mean 3.73 vs 3.41 vs 3.38, Group 1 vs Group 2 vs Group 3 (P = .05) and regarding return to daily activities: 3.69 vs 3.49 vs 3.10, P = .003. Fifty-three percent of Group 1 patients exposed to TSN programming utilized peer relationships and 42% read the educational materials provided. Support groups were also popular, with 26% of patients attending at least 1 session. Patients who recalled utilization of TSN services were overall highly satisfied with these services, mean 4.42.

Conclusion:

Patients were overall highly satisfied with their hospital stay, with those exposed to TSN services reporting greater perceived likelihood of recovery and return to daily activities. Development of nontraditional services, including peer visitation and support groups, appears to enhance expectations about recovery.

Psychometric properties of the psychosocial screening instrument for physical trauma patients (PSIT)

Background

Early detection of psychosocial problems post-injury may prevent them from becoming chronic. Currently, there is no psychosocial screening instrument that can be used in patients surviving a physical trauma or injury. Therefore, we recently developed a psychosocial screening instrument for adult physical trauma patients, the PSIT. The aim of this study was to finalize and psychometrically examine the PSIT.

Methods

All adult (≥ 18 years) trauma patients admitted to a Dutch level I trauma center from October 2016 through September 2017 without severe cognitive disorders (n = 1448) received the PSIT, Impact of Events Scale-Revised (IES-R), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-State (STAI-S), and the World Health Organization Quality of Life-Abbreviated version (WHOQOL-Bref). After 2 weeks, a subgroup of responding participants received the PSIT a second time. The internal structure (principal components analysis, PCA; and confirmatory factor analysis, CFA), internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha, α), test-retest reliability (Intraclass Correlation Coefficient, ICC), construct validity (Spearman’s rho correlations), diagnostic accuracy (Area Under the Curve, AUC), and potential cut-off values (sensitivity and specificity) were examined.

Results

A total of 364 (25.1%) patients participated, of whom 128 completed the PSIT again after 19.5 ± 6.8 days. Test-retest reliability was good (ICC = 0.86). Based on PCA, five items were removed because of cross-loadings ≥ 0.3. Three subscales were identified: (1) Negative affect (7 items; α = 0.91; AUC = 0.92); (2) Anxiety and Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms (4 items; α = 0.77; AUC = 0.88); and (3) Social and self-image (4 items; α = 0.79; AUC = 0.92). CFA supported this structure (comparative fit index = 0.96; root mean square error of approximation = 0.06; standardized rood mean square residual = 0.04). Four of the five a priori formulated hypotheses regarding construct validity were confirmed. The following cut-off values represent maximum sensitivity and specificity: 7 on subscale 1 (89.6% and 83.4%), 3 on subscale 2 (94.4% and 90.3%), and 4 on subscale 3 (85.7% and 90.7%).

Conclusion

The final PSIT has good psychometric properties in adult trauma patients.

Patient experience of long-term recovery after open fracture of the lower limb: a qualitative study using interviews in a community setting

OBJECTIVES

Treatment of open fractures is complex and patients may require muscle and skin grafts. The aim of this study was to gain a greater understanding of patient experience of recovery from open fracture of the lower limb 2-4 years postinjury.

DESIGN

A phenomenological approach was used to guide the design of the study. Interviews took place between October 2016 and April 2017 in the participants' own homes or via telephone.

SETTING

England, UK.

PARTICIPANTS

A purposive sample of 25 patients were interviewed with an age range of 26-80 years (median 51), 19 were male and six female, and time since injury was 24-49 months (median 35 months).

RESULTS

The findings identified a focus on struggling to recover as participants created a new way of living, balancing moving forward with accepting how they are, while being uncertain of the future and experiencing cycles of progress and setbacks. This was expressed through three themes: (i) 'being disempowered' with the emotional impact of dependency and uncertainty, (ii) 'being changed' and living with being fragile and being unable to move freely and (iii) 'being myself' with a loss of self, feeling and looking different, alongside recreation of self in which they integrated the past, present and future to find meaningful ways of being themselves.

CONCLUSION

This study identified the long-term disruption caused by serious injury, the hidden work of integration that is required in order to move forward and maximise potential for recovery. Supportive strategies that help people to self-manage their everyday emotional and physical experience of recovery from injury are required. Research should focus on developing and testing effective interventions that provide support and self-management within a holistic rehabilitation plan.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN33756652; Post-results.

Determining the Generalizability of the PROMIS Depression Domain's Floor Effect and Completion Time in Patients Undergoing Orthopaedic Surgery

BACKGROUND

Depression is common and can decrease the likelihood that a patient undergoing an orthopaedic procedure will improve after that intervention. Research at a single institution using the Patient-reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) showed that the PROMIS Depression domain had a substantial floor effect (lowest depressive symptoms measurable) in patients with orthopaedic conditions, although the instrument is designed to follow a population-based normal distribution. Patients with the lowest scores (floor) completed the questionnaire more quickly than those who did not have the lowest scores, which suggests that patients may not want to report or discuss depressive symptoms with their orthopaedic surgeon.

QUESTIONS/PURPOSES

(1) Do the scores of a large population of patients with orthopaedic conditions completing the PROMIS Physical Function (PF), Pain Interference (PI), and Depression questionnaires follow the normal population distribution used to calibrate the PROMIS instrument? (2) Do the scores of a large population of patients with foot and ankle, spine, upper extremity, multiple orthopaedic subspecialty, or other orthopaedic conditions completing the PROMIS Depression questionnaire follow the normal population distribution used to calibrate the PROMIS instrument? (3) Do all orthopaedic patients with the lowest possible score (floor effect) on the PROMIS Depression questionnaire answer questions more quickly than those who do not?

METHODS

Between February 12, 2015 and July 19, 2018, a total of 513,042 patients with orthopaedic conditions at a single urban, tertiary academic medical center were asked to complete the PROMIS PF, PI, and Depression domains. The PROMIS PF, PI, and Depression questionnaires were administered at 433,939 patient encounters (85%), and 325,251 of 433,939 (75%) completed all three questionnaires and were included in our final sample. The remaining encounters were excluded from all analyses because of incomplete PROMIS data. Using this large sample size, we determined the distributions of the PROMIS PF, PI, and Depression domains for all patients with orthopaedic conditions by visual inspection. We calculated the percentage of patients with the lowest possible score on the PROMIS Depression domain ("floor group") for all patients with orthopaedic conditions, as well for patients presenting to orthopaedic subspecialists (foot and ankle, spine, upper extremity, multiple subspecialties, or other specialists). We compared patient and PROMIS characteristics between patients in the floor group and all others ("standard group") using a bivariate analysis, including the total time it took to complete the questionnaires and average time it took to answer each question.

RESULTS

Of the three PROMIS domains analyzed, only the PROMIS PF demonstrated a normal distribution on visual inspection. PROMIS PI scores had a measurable ceiling effect (more pain symptoms) (15,520 of 325,251 patient encounters; 5%), while PROMIS Depression scores demonstrated a clear floor effect (65,226 of 325,251; 20%). When analyzed by subspecialty, there was a clear floor effect for the PROMIS Depression in the specialties of foot and ankle (6031 of 29,273 patient encounters; 21%), spine (7611 of 58,266; 13%), upper extremity (9851 of 42,864; 23%), multiple subspecialties (276 of 1662; 17%), and other (41, 454 of 193,185; 22%). Generally, those in the floor group spent less time per question on the PROMIS Depression questionnaire than did those in the standard group (5.3 seconds ± 2.6 seconds versus 8.1 seconds ± 4.6 seconds; mean difference, 2.8 seconds; p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The substantial floor effect of the PROMIS Depression in the setting of hasty completion raises the question of whether such results truly indicate that these patients have minimal depression or whether they simply do not report their true mental health status in an orthopaedic setting. When such patients are seen in clinic, surgeons may benefit from using the PROMIS Depression as an educational opportunity to explain the importance of mental health in orthopaedic care and ensure the questionnaire is completed accurately. This study builds on previous work by suggesting these findings apply to other general and subspecialty orthopaedic patient populations at academic medical centers. Future work may seek to determine the best way of ensuring that the PROMIS Depression questionnaire is completed accurately in orthopaedic clinics.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level II, diagnostic study.

Clinical Practice Guidelines for Pain Management in Acute Musculoskeletal Injury

PURPOSE

We aimed to produce comprehensive guidelines and recommendations that can be utilized by orthopaedic practices as well as other specialties to improve the management of acute pain following musculoskeletal injury.

METHODS

A panel of 15 members with expertise in orthopaedic trauma, pain management, or both was convened to review the literature and develop recommendations on acute musculoskeletal pain management. The methods described by the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation Working Group were applied to each recommendation. The guideline was submitted to the Orthopaedic Trauma Association (OTA) for review and was approved on October 16, 2018.

RESULTS

We present evidence-based best practice recommendations and pain medication recommendations with the hope that they can be utilized by orthopaedic practices as well as other specialties to improve the management of acute pain following musculoskeletal injury. Recommendations are presented regarding pain management, cognitive strategies, physical strategies, strategies for patients on long term opioids at presentation, and system implementation strategies. We recommend the use of multimodal analgesia, prescribing the lowest effective immediate-release opioid for the shortest period possible, and considering regional anesthesia. We also recommend connecting patients to psychosocial interventions as indicated and considering anxiety reduction strategies such as aromatherapy. Finally, we also recommend physical strategies including ice, elevation, and transcutaneous electrical stimulation. Prescribing for patients on long term opioids at presentation should be limited to one prescriber. Both pain and sedation should be assessed regularly for inpatients with short, validated tools. Finally, the group supports querying the relevant regional and state prescription drug monitoring program, development of clinical decision support, opioid education efforts for prescribers and patients, and implementing a department or organization pain medication prescribing strategy or policy.

CONCLUSIONS

Balancing comfort and patient safety following acute musculoskeletal injury is possible when utilizing a true multimodal approach including cognitive, physical, and pharmaceutical strategies. In this guideline, we attempt to provide practical, evidence-based guidance for clinicians in both the operative and non-operative settings to address acute pain from musculoskeletal injury. We also organized and graded the evidence to both support recommendations and identify gap areas for future research.

What Factors Are Associated With Outcomes Scores After Surgical Treatment Of Ankle Fractures With a Posterior Malleolar Fragment?

BACKGROUND

Psychosocial factors, such as depression and catastrophic thinking, might account for more disability after various orthopaedic trauma pathologies than range of motion and other impairments. However, little is known about the influence of psychosocial aspects of illness on long-term symptoms and limitations of patients with rotational-type ankle fractures, including a posterior malleolar fragment. Knowledge of the psychosocial factors associated with long-term outcome after operative treatment of trimalleolar ankle fractures might improve recovery.

QUESTIONS/PURPOSES

(1) Which factors related to patient demographics, physical exam, diagnosis, or psychological well-being (in particular, depression), if any, are associated with better or worse scores on validated lower-extremity outcomes instruments after surgical treatment for rotational ankle fractures (including a posterior malleolar fragment) at long-term followup?

METHODS

Between 1974 and 2002, 423 patients underwent open reduction internal fixation for rotational ankle fractures with posterior malleolar fragments according to the basic principles of the AO (Arbeitsgemeinshaft für Osteosynthesfragen). Minimum followup for inclusion here was 10 years (range, 12.5-39.4 years). When posterior malleolar fragments involved more than 25% of the articular surface as assessed on plain lateral radiographs, the fracture was generally fixed with AP or posterior-anterior (PA) screws. Of those treated surgically during the period in question, 319 were lost to followup, had too much missing data to include, or declined to participate in this study (or could not because of reasons of mental illness) (68%), leaving 104 (32%) for analysis in this retrospective study. Independent observers not involved in patient care measured disability using the patient-based Foot and Ankle Ability Measure questionnaire and using the subscale Activities in Daily Living (ADL) and pain score of the Foot and Ankle Outcome Score. General physical and mental health status was evaluated using the SF-36. Depressive symptoms were measured with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression scale score (range, 0-60 points). A score above 16 indicated a depressive disorder. Misinterpretation or overinterpretation of nociception was measured with the Pain Catastrophizing Scale score. Scores above 13.9 were considered abnormal. Statistical analyses included uni- and multivariate regression analysis. In general, patients in this series reported good to excellent outcomes; the mean ± SD scores were 91 ± 15 for Foot and Ankle Ability Measure, 93 ± 16 for Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (ADL), 91 ± 15 for Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (pain), 49 ± 9 for SF-36 mental component score, and 52 ± 9 for SF-36 physical component score.

RESULTS

Implant removal (β = -8.199, p < 0.01) was associated with worse Foot and Ankle Ability Measure scores. Better flexion/extension arc (β = 0.445, p < 0.01) and lower Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression scores (β = -0.527, p < 0.01) were associated with better Foot and Ankle Ability Measure scores. Osteoarthritis (β = -4.823, p < 0.01) was associated with worse Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (pain) scores. Better flexion/extension arc (β = 0.454, p < 0.01) and lower Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression scores (β = -0.596, p < 0.01) were associated with better Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (pain) scores. Better flexion/extension arc (β = -0.431, p < 0.01) and lower Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression scores (β = -0.557, p < 0.01) were associated with better Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (ADL) scores. Finally, we found that a better inversion/eversion arc (β = 0.122, p = 0.024) was associated with better SF-36 physical component score and that a lower Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression score (β = -0.567, p < 0.01) was associated with better SF-36 mental component score.

CONCLUSIONS

Psychological aspects of recovery from musculoskeletal injury merit greater attention, perhaps even over objective, unmodifiable predictors. A mean of 24 years after surgical treatment of ankle fractures with a posterior malleolar fragment, patient-reported outcome measures have little to do with pathophysiology; they mostly reflect impairment and depression symptoms. Further research is needed to determine whether early indentification and treatment of at-risk patients based on psychosocial factors can improve long-term outcomes.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level III, therapeutic study.

Results of a feasibility randomized controlled trial (RCT) of the Toolkit for Optimal Recovery (TOR): a live video program to prevent chronic pain in at-risk adults with orthopedic injuries

BACKGROUND

Orthopedic injuries are the leading cause of hospital admissions in the USA, and many of these patients transition into chronic pain. Currently, there are no evidence-based interventions targeting prevention of chronic pain in patients with orthopedic injuries. We iteratively developed a four-session intervention "The Toolkit for Optimal Recovery" (TOR) which we plan to subsequently test for efficacy in a phase III hybrid efficacy-effectiveness multi-site clinical trial. In order to prevent methodological weaknesses in the subsequent trial, we conducted a feasibility pilot to evaluate the TOR delivered via secure live video versus usual care (UC) in patients with orthopedic injuries from an urban, level I trauma clinic, who screen in as at risk for chronic pain and disability. We tested the feasibility of recruitment, acceptability of screening, and randomization methods; acceptability of the intervention, treatment adherence, and treatment fidelity; satisfaction with the intervention; feasibility of the assessment process at all time points; acceptability of outcome measures for the definitive trial; and within-treatment effect sizes.

METHODS

We aimed to recruit 50-60 participants, randomize, and retain them for ~ 4 months. Assessments were done electronically via REDCap at baseline, post-intervention (approximately 5 weeks after baseline), and 3 months later. We followed procedures we intend to implement in the full-scale hybrid efficacy-effectiveness trial.

RESULTS

We recruited 54 participants and found that randomization and data collection procedures were generally acceptable. The majority of participants were white, educated, and employed. Warm hand-off referrals were more effective than research assistants directly approaching patients for participation without their providers' engagement. Feasibility of recruitment, acceptability of screening, and randomization were good. Satisfaction with the program, adherence to treatment sessions, and treatment fidelity were all high. There were no technical issues associated with the live video delivery of the TOR. There was minimal missing data and outcome measures were deemed appropriate. Effect sizes for improvement after participation in TOR were moderate to large. There were many lessons learned for future trials.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provided evidence of the feasibility of the planned hybrid efficacy-effectiveness trial design when implemented at our home institution. Establishing feasibility of the intervention and study procedures at other trauma centers with more diverse patient populations and different clinical practices is required before a multi-site phase III efficacy-effectiveness trial.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT03405610. Registered on January 28, 2018-retrospectively registered.

Using Patient-reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Measures to Understand the Relationship Between Improvement in Physical Function and Depressive Symptoms

INTRODUCTION

This investigation determined whether improved physical function and decreased pain would reduce depressive symptoms using the Patient-reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS).

METHODS

This cohort study analyzed PROMIS Depression, Physical Function, and Pain Interference CAT scores from 3,339 patients presenting to a tertiary orthopaedic center. Patients demonstrating at least a-five point (effect size, 0.5) improvement in PROMIS Physical Function between consecutive visits were eligible for inclusion.

RESULTS

Patients presented, on average, with Physical Function and Pain Interference scores nearly one SD worse than population averages and Depression scores that approximated the normal population. Improved Physical Function and Pain Interference scores demonstrated no correlation with change in Depression scores (r = -0.13; r = 0.25).

CONCLUSION

Substantial early improvement in PROMIS Physical Function scores is not associated with change in PROMIS Depression scores. PROMIS Depression scores likely reflect underlying mental health rather than situational depressive symptoms.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Prognostic, level III.

Association of Psychiatric Diagnostic Conditions with Hospital Care Outcomes of Patients with Orthopedic Injuries

CONTEXT

Psychiatric comorbidity is common in orthopedic injury, but the effects on hospital care outcomes have been identified only generally.

OBJECTIVE

To quantify psychiatric comorbidity and its outcome effects in a large, multicenter population of inpatients with orthopedic injuries.

DESIGN

Retrospective analysis of patient discharge data from 507 California hospitals from 2001 to 2010. Study sample included orthopedic diagnoses using International Classification of Diseases codes for major pelvic and lower extremity injuries in patients older than age 17 years. From the injury data, we extracted psychiatric diagnoses, alcoholism, substance abuse, and sociodemographic characteristics.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Length of stay, surgical complications, and inpatient deaths.

RESULTS

The entire injury admissions represented about 1.9% of all hospital admissions and were predominantly older than age 64 years, white, and women with conventional health care insurance. The most common comorbidity in the patients with injury was psychiatric illness (24.7%). The most common psychiatric diagnoses in orthopedic injury admissions were dementia (14.3%) and depression (6.9%) without association. Compared with the injury admissions with no psychiatric diagnosis, admissions with psychiatric diagnosis had higher odds of a hospital stay of 7 or more days, surgical treatment complications, and inhospital death.

CONCLUSION

Psychiatric comorbidity adversely affects several hospital outcomes in patients with orthopedic injuries: Length of stay, surgical complications, and inpatient mortality. In low-income populations, the adverse psychiatric effects are incrementally worse. The adverse effects of psychiatric comorbidity, particularly dementia and depression, on hospital outcomes should stimulate improved psychiatric care of many patients at risk of poor clinical outcomes.

A Population-Based Assessment of Depression and Anxiety in Patients With Brachial Plexus Injuries

PURPOSE

Reactive depression and anxiety are common after major life changes such as brachial plexus injuries (BPI). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidence and risk factors for coded depression and coded anxiety among patients with BPI using a national database of commercial insurance claims.

METHODS

We used the Truven MarketScan database from 2007 to 2013 to identify commercially insured patients aged 18 to 64 years who underwent BPI surgery. For comparison, a control group without BPI was frequency-matched 10:1 by age group, sex, number of provider visits, and length of insurance enrollment. Using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision diagnosis codes and pharmacy claims, we identified coded depression and coded anxiety in the 12 months before and 12 months after BPI surgery. Multivariable Cox regression models were used to determine risk factors for coded depression or coded anxiety, adjusting for known risk factors for depression or anxiety (eg, alcohol, substance abuse).

RESULTS

We identified 1,843 patients with BPI and 18,430 controls. Within the 12 months preceding surgery, coded depression and coded anxiety were present in 38% and 42%, respectively, of the BPI group; both were present in 25% and either was present in 54%. The rate of new-onset/postoperatively coded depression among patients with BPI was 142.1/1,000 person-years (12%) and of new-onset/postoperatively coded anxiety was 273.6/1,000 person-years (20%). Patients with BPI were significantly more likely than controls to develop new-onset/postoperatively coded depression (hazard ratio = 1.3; confidence interval [CI], 1.1-1.5) and new-onset/postoperatively coded anxiety (HR = 2.1 [CI, 1.8-2.4]).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients undergoing BPI surgery have a high prevalence of coded depression and coded anxiety in the 12 months before surgery and are at higher risk for developing new-onset/postoperatively coded depression and coded anxiety within 1 year after surgery. These findings can be used by BPI surgeons to inform perioperative counseling, guide emotional recovery from injury, and facilitate coordinated or colocated care with mental health professionals.

TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Prognostic II.

The interaction of depression and prior opioid use on pain and opioid requirements after total joint arthroplasty

Background

Preoperative opioid use causes increased pain and opioid requirements after total joint arthroplasty (TJA), but the effect of depression on this relationship is not well defined.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective review of primary TJA patients using an institutional database. Demographic variables, inpatient opioid requirements, and discharge prescription quantities were collected and compared between patients with and without a prior diagnosis of depression in both the prior opioid-using and nonusing cohorts.

Results

Four hundred and three patients were analyzed between August 1, 2016, and July 31, 2017. Among prior opioid users, patients with depression experienced higher inpatient pain levels (4 vs 3; P = .001), required more inpatient opioids (117 oral morphine equivalents [OMEs] vs 70 OMEs; P = .022), were prescribed more opioids at discharge (1163 OMEs vs 750 OMEs; P = .02), and required more long-term opioid refills (57.7% vs 15.4%; P < .001) than patients without depression. However, depression was not associated with increased pain, opioid requirements, prescription quantities, or refill rates among opioid-naive patients.

Conclusions

Depression is not associated with increased pain or opioid requirements among opioid-naive patients after TJA but is associated with significantly higher pain and opioid requirements among patients who use opioids preoperatively. The interaction of these variables may highlight a target for preoperative counseling and risk modification in the arthroplasty population.

Is Use of a Psychological Workbook Associated With Improved Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand Scores in Patients With Distal Radius Fracture?

BACKGROUND

Symptom intensity and magnitude of limitations correlate with stress, distress, and less effective coping strategies. It is unclear if interventions to target these factors can be used to improve outcomes after distal radius fracture in either the short- or longer term.

QUESTIONS/PURPOSES

(1) Are there any factors (including the use of a workbook aimed at optimizing psychological response to injury, demographic, radiographic, medical, or psychosocial) associated with improved Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) and Numerical Rating Scale pain (NRS pain) scores at 6 weeks after management of distal radius fracture? (2) Are any of these factors associated with improved DASH and NRS pain scores at 6 months after management of distal radius fracture?

METHODS

We conducted a double-blind randomized controlled trial comparing a workbook designed to optimize rehabilitation by improving psychological response to injury using recognized psychological techniques (the LEARN technique and goal setting) versus a workbook containing details of stretching exercises in the otherwise routine management of distal radius fracture. Patients older than 18 years of age with an isolated distal radius fracture were recruited within 3 weeks of injury from a single academic teaching hospital between March and August 2016. During recruitment, 191 patients who met the inclusion criteria were approached; 52 (27%) declined participation and 139 were enrolled. Eight patients (6%) were lost to followup by 6 weeks. The remaining cohort of 129 patients was included in the analysis. DASH scores and NRS pain scores were recorded at 6 weeks and 6 months after injury. Multivariable regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with outcome scores.

RESULTS

At 6 weeks after distal radius fracture, when compared with an information-only workbook, use of a psychologic workbook was not associated with improved DASH (workbook DASH: 38 [range, 21-48]; control DASH: 35 [range, 21-53]; difference of medians: 3; p = 0.949) nor NRS pain scores (workbook NRS: 3 [range, 1-5]; control NRS: 2 [range, 1-4]; difference of medians: 1; p = 0.128). Improved DASH scores were associated with less radial shortening (β = 0.2, p = 0.009), less dorsal tilt (β = 0.2, p = 0.035), and nonoperative treatment (β = 0.2, p = 0.027). Improved NRS pain scores were associated with nonoperative treatment (β = 0.2, p = 0.021) and no posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (β = 0.2, p = 0.046). At 6 months, use of a psychologic workbook was not associated with improved DASH (workbook DASH: 11 [range, 5-28]; control DASH: 11 [range, 3-20]; difference of medians: 0; p = 0.367) nor NRS pain scores (workbook NRS: 1 [range, 0-2]; control NRS: 1 [range, 0-2]; difference of medians: 0; p = 0.704). Improved DASH score at 6 months was associated with having fewer medical comorbidities (β = 0.3, p < 0.001) and lower enrollment PTSD (β = 0.3, p < 0.011). Lower NRS pain scores at 6 months were associated with having fewer medical comorbidities (β = 0.2, p = 0.045), lower enrollment PTSD (β = 0.3, p = 0.008), and lower enrollment Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia (β = 0.2, p = 0.042).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study demonstrates that there is no benefit from the untargeted use of a psychological workbook based on the LEARN approach and goal-setting strategies in patients with distal radius fracture. Future research should investigate if there is a subgroup of patients with a negative psychological response to injury that benefits from psychological intervention and, if so, how best to identify these patients and intervene.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level II, therapeutic study.

Physical Trauma Patients with Symptoms of an Acute and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Protocol for an Observational Prospective Cohort Study

Background

Injury, medical treatment, and rehabilitation can have major impacts on patients’ wellbeing. About 25-33% of the patients experience an acute stress disorder (ASD) or a posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after injury. ASD is a relatively new diagnosis. Therefore, knowledge about patients’ experiences, the course of ASD and PTSD, and who is at risk for developing ASD or PTSD is lacking.

Objective

The aims of this multi-method study are to explore patients’ experiences with injury (and their care) using a focus group study. Then, in the observational study, different courses of ASD, PTSD, and quality of life will be examined. In addition, this study will examine if these courses could be characterized by socio-demographic, clinical, and psychological variables. Consequently, a risk profile will be developed to determine which patients are at risk for developing ASD or PTSD during the 12 months after injury.

Methods

Trauma patients treated in the shock room (in 2015) of the Elisabeth-TweeSteden Hospital will share their experiences with injury in the focus group study. Open, axial, and selective coding will be used to analyze the data. Concerning the observational study, patients treated in the shock room (during 2016 and 2017, Elisabeth-TweeSteden Hospital and Erasmus Medical Centre) will be asked to participate. The inclusion period is 12 months. Participants will complete the Impact of Event Scale-Revised, MINI-plus, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF after inclusion and at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after injury. The NEO-Five Factor Inventory and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-Trait are completed after inclusion only. Repeated measures of latent class analysis and linear mixed models will be used to examine the research aims.

Results

This project was funded in August 2015 by ZonMw. The results of the focus group study are expected in the first trimester of 2018. With regard to the observational study, recruitment is currently underway. Data collection will be completed in November 2018. The first results will be expected in the first trimester of 2019.

Conclusions

This is the first multi-method study in trauma patients that examines patients’ experiences (qualitative design) as well as psychological disorders (observational prospective). This study will contribute to necessary information on psychological consequences after injury. Moreover, it provides knowledge about which patients to include in future psychological intervention research. Finally, awareness in clinicians about the psychological consequences can be created, so they are able to act more effectively to provide patient-oriented care.

Trial Registration

Netherlands Trial Registry NTR6258; http://www.trialregister.nl/trialreg/admin/rctview.asp?TC=6258 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6xSCiO1bS)

Depression and psychiatric disease associated with outcomes after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

While most patients with an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury indicate satisfaction with surgical intervention, a significant proportion still do not return to pre-injury level of function or sport. Psychiatric comorbidities, such as depression, have recently been associated with poor clinical outcomes after ACL reconstruction (ACLR). To date, no article has yet examined how depression affects ACLR outcomes and how potential screening and intervention for psychological distress may affect postoperative activity level. The purpose of this review is to delineate potential relationships between depression and ACLR outcome, discuss clinical implications and identify future directions for research.

The Economic Burden of Road Traffic Injuries on Households in South Asia

Globally, road traffic injuries accounted for about 1.36 million deaths in 2015 and are projected to become the fourth leading cause of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) lost by 2030. One-fifth of these deaths occurred in South Asia where road traffic injuries are projected to increase by 144% by 2020. Despite this rapidly increasing disease burden there is limited evidence on the economic burden of road traffic injuries on households in South Asia. We applied a novel coarsened exact matching method to assess the household economic burden of road traffic injuries using nationally representative World Health Survey data from five South Asian countries- Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka collected during 2002-2003. We examined the impact of road traffic injuries on household out-of-pocket (OOP) health spending, household non-medical consumption expenditure and the employment status of the traffic injury-affected respondent. We exactly matched a household (after 'coarsening') where a respondent reported being involved in a road traffic injury to households where the respondent did not report a road traffic injury on each of multiple observed household characteristics. Our analysis found that road traffic injury-affected households had significantly higher levels of OOP health spending per member (I$0.75, p<0.01), higher OOP spending on drugs per member (I$0.30, p = 0.03), and higher OOP hospital spending per member (I$0.29, p<0.01) in the four weeks preceding the survey. Indicators of "catastrophic spending" were also significantly higher in road traffic injury-affected households: 6.45% (p<0.01) for a threshold of OOP health spending to total household spending ratio of 20%, and 7.40% (p<0.01) for a threshold of OOP health spending to household 'capacity to pay' ratio of 40%. However, no statistically significant effects were observed for household non-medical consumption expenditure, and employment status of the road traffic injury-affected individual. Our analysis points to the need for financial risk protection against the road traffic injury-related OOP health expenditure and a focus on prevention.

Prevalence of Symptoms of Depression, Anxiety, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Workers With Upper Extremity Complaints

Study Design Cross-sectional cohort study. Background Symptoms of depression, panic disorder (PD), and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have been associated with musculoskeletal complaints and could represent barriers to recovery in injured workers. Objectives To determine the prevalence of symptoms of depression, PD, and PTSD utilizing the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ) in a cohort of patients presenting to an upper extremity injured-worker clinic; secondarily, to identify any relationships between patients screening positive and patient-reported outcome measures. Methods In 2010, 418 patients completed the PHQ during their initial evaluation. Patients with PHQ scores exceeding threshold values for symptoms of depression, PD, or PTSD were compared based on patient-reported outcome scores, including the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand questionnaire (DASH) and Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36). The prevalence of symptoms, and their relationship with presenting complaints and patient-reported outcomes, were calculated. Results Thirty-one percent of patients scored above thresholds for symptoms of at least 1 mental health disorder. Of those who screened positive, 67% screened positive for depression, 44% for PTSD, and 50% for PD, with 43% of patients positive for multiple symptoms. Patients experiencing neck pain had significantly higher screening rates of depressive symptoms (62.5% versus 20.1%, P = .004) and PD (37.5% versus 12.9%, P = .044) compared with other presenting complaints. Similarly, patients with chronic pain had higher rates of depression (54.5% versus 20.1%, P = .006), PD (63.6% versus 12%, P<.001), and PTSD (36.4% versus 14.8%, P = .05) compared with other presenting complaints. Patients endorsing depressive symptoms had significantly lower SF-36 mental component summary scores (26.3 ± 10.7 versus 37.6 ± 9.9, P<.001) and higher shortened-version DASH (72.3 ± 16.7 versus 61.5 ± 11.1, P = .003) and DASH work scores (86.5 ± 19.2 versus 82.1 ± 20.1, P = .007) compared to patients endorsing other items on the PHQ. Conclusion In this prospective cohort study of injured workers, we identified a relatively high prevalence of symptoms of psychological disorders utilizing the PHQ, with one third of injured workers screening positive for symptoms of depression, PD, or PTSD. Further longitudinal follow-up is necessary to determine the impact on treatment outcomes. Level of Evidence Symptom prevalence, level 1b. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2016;46(7):590-595. Epub 12 May 2016. doi:10.2519/jospt.2016.6265.

Does perceived injustice correlate with pain intensity and disability in orthopaedic trauma patients?

INTRODUCTION

Individuals who experience musculoskeletal trauma may construe the experience as unjust and themselves as victims. Perceived injustice is a cognitive construct comprised by negative appraisals of the severity of loss as a consequence of injury, blame, injury-related loss, and unfairness. It has been associated with worse physical and psychological outcomes in the context of chronic health conditions. The purpose of this study is to explore the association of perceived injustice to pain intensity and physical function in patients with orthopaedic trauma.

METHODS

A total of 124 orthopaedic trauma patients completed the Injustice Experience Questionnaire (IEQ), the PROMIS Physical Function Computer Adaptive Testing (CAT), the PROMIS Pain Intensity instruments, the short form Patient Health Questionnaire for depression (PHQ-2), the short form Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (PSEQ-2), and the short form Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS-4) on a tablet computer. A stepwise linear regression model was used to identify the best combination of predictors explaining variance in PROMIS Physical Function and PROMIS Pain Intensity.

RESULTS

The IEQ was associated with PROMIS Physical Function (r=-0.36; P<0.001) and PROMIS Pain Intensity (r=0.43; P<0.001). In multivariable analysis, however, Caucasian race (β=5.1, SE: 2.0, P=0.013, 95% CI: 1.1-9.2), employed work status (β=5.1, SE: 1.5, P=0.001, 95% CI: 2.1-8.2), any cause of injury other than sports, mvc, or fall (β=7.7, SE: 2.1, P<0.001, 95% CI: 3.5-12), and higher self-efficacy (PSEQ-2; β=0.93, SE: 0.23, P<0.001, 95% CI: 0.48-1.4) were selected as part of the best model predicting variance in PROMIS Physical Function. Only a higher degree of catastrophic thinking (PCS-4; β=1.2, SE: 0.12, P<0.001, 95% CI: 0.99 to 1.5) was selected as important in predicting higher PROMIS Pain Intensity.

CONCLUSION

Perceived injustice was associated with both physical function and pain intensity in bivariate correlations, but was not deemed as an important predictor when assessed along with other demographic and psychosocial variables in multivariable analysis. This study confirms prior research on the pivotal role of catastrophic thinking and self-efficacy in reports of pain intensity and physical function in patients with acute traumatic musculoskeletal pain.

The Influence of Psychiatric Comorbidity on Inpatient Outcomes following Distal Humerus Fractures

Background. The influence of psychiatric comorbidity on outcomes following inpatient management of upper extremity fractures is poorly understood. Methods. The National Hospital Discharge Survey was queried to identify patients admitted to US hospitals with distal humerus fractures between 1990 and 2007. Patients were subdivided into 5 groups: depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, dementia, and no psychiatric comorbidity. Multivariable logistic regression analysis identified independent risk factors for adverse events, requirement of blood transfusion, and discharge to another inpatient facility. Results. A cohort representative of 526,185 patients was identified as having a distal humerus fracture. Depression, anxiety, and dementia were independently associated with higher odds of in-hospital adverse events (P<0.001). Depression was associated with higher odds of inpatient blood transfusion (P<0.001). Depression, schizophrenia, and dementia were associated with higher odds of nonroutine discharge to another inpatient facility (P<0.001). Patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia had a mean of 12 (P<0.001) more days of care than patients with no psychiatric comorbidity. Discussion. Patients with comorbid psychiatric illness who are admitted to hospitals with distal humerus fractures are at increased risk of inpatient adverse events and posthospitalization care.

Prevalence of and Factors Associated With Major Depression in Patients With Upper Extremity Conditions

PURPOSE

To determine the prevalence of an estimated diagnosis of major depression in patients with upper extremity conditions and factors that help identify patients who might benefit from psychological treatment.

METHODS

In this observational cross-sectional study, 190 patients completed questionnaires measuring symptoms of depression with the Patient Health Questionnaire, upper extremity disability with the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Upper Extremity, pain interference with the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Pain Interference, and health anxiety with the Short Health Anxiety Inventory.

RESULTS

The estimated prevalence of an estimated diagnosis of major depression (Patient Health Questionnaire 9 ≥ 10) among this group of patients was 12%. Having multiple pain conditions, a history of depression, and greater limitation from pain for daily activities were independently associated with an estimated diagnosis of major depression.

CONCLUSIONS

The finding that 1 in 8 patients presenting to a hand surgeon have untreated or undertreated symptoms of depression sufficient to qualify for an estimated diagnosis of major depression emphasizes the importance of assessing for depression at all levels of care.

What Is the Impact of Comorbidities on Self-rated Hand Function in Patients With Symptomatic Trapeziometacarpal Arthritis?

BACKGROUND

The thumb trapeziometacarpal joint is one of the most common sites of arthritic degeneration prompting specialty care. Surgical treatment algorithms are based on radiographic arthritic progression. However, the pain and disability attributable to trapeziometacarpal arthritis do not correlate with arthritic stage, and depression has independently predicted poorer self-rated hand function both at baseline and after treatment in patients' atraumatic hand conditions.

QUESTIONS/PURPOSES

(1) Does thumb trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis impact both self-perceived general health and hand function? (2) Do depression and other comorbid conditions differentially impact patient-rated hand function based on the presence or absence of symptomatic trapeziometacarpal arthritis? (3) How do disease-specific, patient demographics and comorbid conditions impact self-reported hand function in patients with trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis?

METHODS

This cross-sectional study compared patients with symptomatic trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis (n = 47) with matched control subjects without a symptomatic hand condition (n = 47). All participants self-reported medical (including depression) and musculoskeletal comorbidities and completed the SF-36 and the Michigan Hand Questionnaire (MHQ). Bivariate statistical analyses contrasted the patients with trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis to control subjects. Linear regression modeling determined the impact of subject demographic data, comorbidity burden, and examination findings on total MHQ scores in patients with trapeziometacarpal arthritis.

RESULTS

Patients with scored trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis indicated poorer perceived general health on the SF-36 categories of limitations resulting from physical health (52 ± 29 versus 71 ± 31, mean difference 19 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 7-31], p = 0.003) and limitations resulting from emotional problems (50 ± 27 versus 67 ± 50, mean difference 17 [95% CI, 3-33], p = 0.022) compared with control subjects. Self-reported depression was associated with worse hand function (total MHQ score) in patients with trapeziometacarpal arthritis (69 ± 20 versus 49 ± 22: mean difference -20 [95% CI, -5 to-36], p = 0.012) but not in control patients (90 ± 13 versus 84 ± 20: mean difference -5 [95% CI, -8 to 19], p = 0.404). In multivariate modeling, depression (β -20, [95% CI, -5 to -34], p = 0.009) and upper extremity comorbidities (β -25, [95% CI, -10 to -40], p = 0.002) were both associated with reduced total MHQ scores in patients with trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis, and those factors accounted for 34% of the variance in the MHQ score.

CONCLUSIONS

When interpreting patient-rated hand disability in patients presenting with symptomatic trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis, scores should be interpreted after accounting for the presence of depression and upper extremity comorbidities.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level III, prognostic study.

Psychosocial Factors Predict Pain and Physical Health After Lower Extremity Trauma

BACKGROUND

There has been increasing evidence to support the importance of psychosocial factors to poor outcomes after trauma. However, little is known about the contribution of pain catastrophizing and fear of movement to persistent pain and disability.

QUESTIONS/PURPOSES

Therefore, we aimed to determine whether (1) high pain catastrophizing scores are independently associated with pain intensity or pain interference; (2) high fear of movement scores are independently associated with decreased physical health; and (3) depressive symptoms are independently associated with pain intensity, pain interference, or physical health at 1 year after accounting for patient characteristics of age and education.

METHODS

Of 207 eligible patients, we prospectively enrolled 134 patients admitted to a Level I trauma center for surgical treatment of a fracture to the lower extremity. Sixty percent of patients (80 of 134) had an isolated lower extremity injury and the remainder sustained additional minor injury to the head/spine, abdomen/thorax, or upper extremity. Pain catastrophizing was measured with the Pain Catastrophizing Scale, fear of movement with the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia, and depressive symptoms with the Patient Health Questionnaire. Pain and physical health outcomes were assessed with the Brief Pain Inventory and the SF-12, respectively. Assessments were completed at 4 weeks and 1 year after hospitalization. Multiple variable hierarchical linear regression analyses were used to address study hypotheses. One hundred ten patients (82%) completed the 1-year followup.

RESULTS

Pain catastrophizing at 4 weeks was associated with pain intensity (β = 0.67; p < 0.001) and pain interference (β = 0.38; p = 0.03) at 1 year. No association was found between fear of movement and physical health (β = 0.15; p = 0.34). Depressive symptoms at 4 weeks were associated with pain intensity (β = 0.49; p < 0.001), pain interference (β = 0.51; p < 0.001), and physical health (β = -0.32; p = 0.01) at 1 year.

CONCLUSIONS

Catastrophizing behavior patterns and depressive symptoms are associated with more severe pain and worse function after traumatic lower extremity injury. Cognitive and behavioral strategies that have proven effective for chronic pain populations may be beneficial for trauma patients. Future research is needed to determine whether the early identification and treatment of subgroups of at-risk patients based on catastrophizing behavior or depressive symptoms can improve long-term outcomes.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level I, prognostic study.

A preliminary RCT of a mind body skills based intervention addressing mood and coping strategies in patients with acute orthopaedic trauma

OBJECTIVE

To test the acceptability and feasibility of a mind body skills-based intervention (RRCB) and estimate its preliminary effect in reducing disability and pain intensity as compared to standard care (SC) in patients with acute musculoskeletal trauma.

DESIGN

Randomised controlled trial.

SETTING

Level I trauma centre.

PATIENTS

Adult patients with acute fractures at risk for chronic pain and disability based on scores on two coping with pain measures who presented to an orthopedic trauma center and met inclusion and exclusion criteria.

INTERVENTION

Participants were randomied to either RRCB with SC or SC alone.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENT

Disability (short musculoskeletal functional assessment, SMFA) and pain (Numerical Analogue Scale).

SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES

coping strategies (Pain Catastrophizing Scale, PCS and Pain Anxiety Scale, PAS) and mood (CESD Depression and PTSD checklist).

RESULTS

Among the 50 patients consented, two did not complete the initial assessment. Of these, the first four received the intervention as part of an open pilot and the next 44 were randomised (24 RRCBT and 20 UC) and completed initial assessment. We combined the patients who received RRCB into one group, N=28. Of the entire sample, 34 completed time two assessments (24 RRCBT and 10 SC). The RRCB proved to be feasible and accepted (86% retention, 28 out of 24 completers). Analyses of covariance ANCOVA showed a significant (p<05) improvement and large effect sizes for all time two main study variables (.2-.5) except pain with activity where the effect size was medium (.08). Improvement for pain at rest was not significantly higher in the RRCB as compared to the control, for a small effect size (.03).

CONCLUSION

The RRCB is feasible, acceptable and potentially efficacious.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level 1 prognostic.

The impact of depression and pain catastrophization on initial presentation and treatment outcomes for atraumatic hand conditions

BACKGROUND

Prior studies have suggested that patient-rated hand function is impacted by depression and pain catastrophization. We studied the impact that these comorbidities have on treatment outcomes.

METHODS

Two hundred and fifty-six patients presenting to an orthopaedic hand clinic were followed in this prospective cohort investigation. Patients who were prescribed treatment for atraumatic hand/wrist conditions were eligible for inclusion. At enrollment, all patients completed the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) scale, the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), and the Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire (MHQ; scale of 0 to 100, with 100 indicating the best hand performance). One month and three months after treatment, patients again completed the MHQ. Participants' psychological comorbidity status was categorized as either affected (a CES-D score of ≥16, indicating depression, or a PCS score of ≥30, indicating catastrophization) or unaffected (a CES-D score of &lt;16 and a PCS score of &lt;30). Diagnoses and treatments for both the affected and unaffected groups were examined. The effect of time and patient status, and their interaction, on MHQ scores was evaluated by mixed modeling.

RESULTS

Fifty patients were categorized as affected and 206 as unaffected. Diagnoses and treatments differed minimally between the two groups. At the time of enrollment, the mean MHQ score of the unaffected group (64.9; 95% confidence interval [CI], 62.5 to 67.3) was significantly higher than that of the affected group (48.1; 95% CI, 43.3 to 53.0). Both groups demonstrated similar significant absolute improvement over baseline at three months after treatment (an increase of 12.5 points [95% CI, 7.5 to 17.4] in the affected group and 12.8 points [95% CI, 10.4 to 15.3] in the unaffected group). Thus, at the time of final follow-up, the rating of hand function by the affected patients (60.6 [95% CI, 55.0 to 66.2]) was still significantly poorer than the rating by the unaffected patients (77.7 [95% CI, 75.0 to 80.5]).

CONCLUSIONS

Although patients affected by depression and/or pain catastrophization reported worse self-rated hand function at baseline and at the time of follow-up, these patients showed similar absolute improvement in self-rated hand function following treatment compared with patients with unaffected status.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Prognostic Level I. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Do psychiatric comorbidities influence inpatient death, adverse events, and discharge after lower extremity fractures?

BACKGROUND

Psychiatric comorbidity is known to contribute to illness (the state of feeling unwell/unable to rely on one's body) and increased use of healthcare resources, but the effect on inpatient outcomes in fracture care is relatively unexplored.

QUESTIONS/PURPOSES

Our primary null hypothesis is that a concomitant diagnosis of depression, anxiety, dementia, or schizophrenia is not associated with (1) discharge to another care facility rather than home after lower extremity fractures. Secondary study questions address the associations between psychiatric comorbidity and (2) longer inpatient stay and inpatient (3) adverse events; (4) blood transfusion; and (5) mortality after lower extremity fractures.

METHODS

Using the National Hospital Discharge Survey database, we analyzed a total estimated number of 10,669,449 patients with lower limb fractures from 1990 to 2007. Sixty-four percent were women, and the mean±SD age was 67±22 years. The prevalence in the study population was 3.2% for depression, 1.6% for anxiety, 0.6% for schizophrenia, and 2.9% for dementia.

RESULTS

A discharge diagnosis of psychiatric comorbidity was associated with a lower rate of discharge to home after accounting for an association with greater medical comorbidity (schizophrenia: odds ratio [OR], 5.6, 95% confidence interval [CI], 5.5-5.8; dementia: OR, 1.3, 95% CI, 1.2-1.3; depression: OR, 1.2, 95% CI, 1.2-1.3; anxiety: OR, 1.04, 95% CI, 1.02-1.06). Hospital stay was longer for patients with schizophrenia and dementia but shorter in patients with depression or anxiety compared with patients without any mental disorders. Schizophrenia was associated with more in-hospital adverse events and depression and anxiety with fewer events. A diagnosis of depression was associated with blood transfusion. Psychiatric comorbidity was not associated with a higher risk of in-hospital death.

CONCLUSIONS

Optimal inpatient management of patients with lower extremity fractures should account for the influence of psychiatric comorbidities, dementia and schizophrenia in particular.

Intermediate-term outcomes for floating elbow and floating elbow variant injuries

BACKGROUND

There are limited outcome studies describing floating elbow injuries. The purpose of this report is to describe patient outcomes after floating elbow injury using the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) elbow assessment form.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

From 1994 to 2004, 19 patients were retrospectively identified at 3 Level I trauma centers and returned for follow-up evaluation after treatment of their floating elbow injury. Patient outcomes were assessed based on physical examination and the ASES elbow form.

RESULTS

The 19 patients were evaluated at a mean of 6.7 years (range, 2.3-13.4 years) after treatment of their floating elbow injuries. The mean ASES elbow score was 89 (range, 13-99), and the mean visual analog scale satisfaction with elbow surgery was 8.7 (range, 7-10). Fifteen of 19 patients reported continued pain in the elbow. Patient age, arm dominance, type of humeral fixation, type of forearm fixation, open fracture, multiple surgeries, and fracture pattern were not significantly associated with outcomes. Nerve injury was associated with lower ASES elbow scores (P = .03). There was also a significant correlation between the ASES elbow score and follow-up time, indicating that patients with a longer duration of follow-up had better subjective outcomes (Spearman coefficient = 0.55; P = .02).

CONCLUSION

Floating elbow fractures represent high-energy trauma and have significant associated injuries. Nerve injury is correlated with lower subjective outcomes. Patients continue to improve for several years with acceptable mid-term results.

Complex distal radius fractures

Complex distal radius fractures are high-energy injuries of the wrist with articular disruption, ligamentous instability, significant comminution, soft tissue injury, and/or neurovascular impairment. The management of these injuries requires a thorough understanding of wrist functional anatomy and familiarity with a wide selection of approach and fixation options. This article reviews an approach that involves structured evaluation, aggressive soft tissue management, early reduction and skeletal stabilization, and a columnar approach to definitive care. Outcome is determined by multiple factors and depends greatly on the soft tissue injury, patient factors, and management and the adequacy of restoration of osseous and ligamentous relationships.