Surgeon Prioritization of Mental, Social, and Pathophysiological Aspects of Health Among People With Traumatic and Nontraumatic Musculoskeletal Conditions.

BACKGROUND: There is mounting evidence that, among musculoskeletal patients, variation in capability has more notable associations with variations in mental and social health factors than with variation in pathophysiology severity. This study sought factors that could limit the integration of this evidence into more comprehensive care models. METHODS: In two scenario-based experiments, surgeon participants in an international collaborative, the Science of Variation Group, reviewed scenarios of (a) nontraumatic (83 participants) and (b) trauma-related (130 participants) pathophysiologies for which tests and treatments were discretionary. The following demographic, mental, and social health elements were varied randomly: sex, age, race/ethnicity, mindsets, social health aspects, and specific pathophysiologies. For each scenario, participants rated their likelihood to offer surgery (continuous) and their sense of presence of an opportunity to address better mental or social health in treatment (yes or no). Factors associated with each rating were sought in multivariable analysis. RESULTS: Greater likelihood to offer discretionary surgery for nontraumatic pathophysiologies was associated with greater pathophysiology severity, trapeziometacarpal arthritis, and greater distress and unhelpful thoughts regarding symptoms. Lateral elbow enthesopathy was associated with a lower likelihood. For trauma-related pathophysiologies, an ankle fracture with slight articular subluxation was associated with greater likelihood to offer surgery, and several other trauma-related pathophysiologies were associated with a lower likelihood. For both nontraumatic and trauma-related pathophysiologies, surgeons noticed unhelpful thinking, distress, and social issues as reasons to consider addressing mental and social health in treatment, relatively independent of pathophysiology. CONCLUSION: Surgeons seem to recognize opportunities to address mental and social needs but ultimately base their decision to offer discretionary surgery on pathophysiological factors. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Comprehensive, whole-person care for musculoskeletal illness might be supported by strategies for ensuring that aspects of stress and distress that contribute to greater symptom intensity are not misinterpreted as a reflection of greater pathophysiology severity.

Variations in 1-year Trajectories of Levels of Pain and Capability After Shoulder Arthroplasty Are Associated With Baseline Mental Health.

BACKGROUND: There is variability in the trajectories of pain intensity and magnitude of incapability after shoulder arthroplasty. A better understanding of the degree to which variation in recovery trajectories relates to aspects of mental health can inform the development of comprehensive biopsychosocial care strategies. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: (1) Do pain intensities at baseline and the trajectories during recovery differ between groups when stratified by mental health composite summary score, arthroplasty type, and revision surgery? (2) Do magnitudes of capability at baseline and the trajectories during recovery differ between these groups? METHODS: We used a registry of 755 patients who underwent shoulder arthroplasty by a single surgeon at a specialized urban orthopaedic hospital that recorded the mental component summary (MCS) score of the Veterans RAND 12, a measure of shoulder-specific comfort and capability (American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons [ASES] score, which ranges from 0 to 100 points, with a score of 0 indicating worse capability and pain and 100 indicating better capability and pain and a minimum clinically important difference of 6.4), and the VAS for pain intensity (range 0 [representing no pain] to 10 [representing the worst pain possible], with a minimum clinically important difference of 1.4) preoperatively, 2 weeks postoperatively, and 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year after surgery. Forty-nine percent (368 of 755) of the patients were men, with a mean age of 68 ± 8 years, and 77% (585) were treated with reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (rTSA). Unconditional linear and quadratic growth models were generated to identify the general shape of recovery for both outcomes (linear versus quadratic). We then constructed conditional growth models and curves for pain intensity and the magnitude of capability showing mean baseline scores and the rates of recovery that determine the trajectory, accounting for mental health (MCS) quartiles, primary or revision arthroplasty, and TSA or reverse TSA in separate models. Because pain intensity and capability showed quadratic trends, we created trajectories using the square of time. RESULTS: Patients in the worst two MCS quartiles had greater pain intensity at baseline than patients in the best quartile (difference in baseline for bottom quartile: 0.93 [95% CI 0.72 to 1.1]; p < 0.01; difference in baseline for next-worst quartile: 0.36 [95% CI 0.16 to 0.57]; p < 0.01). The rates of change in recovery from pain intensity were not different among groups (p > 0.10). Patients with revision surgery had greater baseline pain (difference: 1.1 [95% CI 0.7 to 1.5]; p < 0.01) but no difference in rates of recovery (difference: 0.031 [95% CI 0.035 to 0.097]; p = 0.36). There were no differences in baseline pain intensity and rates of recovery between patients with reverse TSA and those with TSA (baseline pain difference: -0.20 [95% CI -0.38 to -0.03]; p = 0.18; difference in rate of recovery: -0.005 [95% CI -0.035 to 0.025]; p = 0.74). Patients in the worst two MCS quartiles had worse baseline capability than patients in the best quartile (difference in baseline for bottom quartile: -8.9 [95% CI -10 to -7.4]; p < 0.001; difference in baseline for the next-worst quartile: -4.9 [95% CI -6.4 to -3.4]; p < 0.01), with no differences in rates of recovery (p > 0.10). Patients with revision surgery had lower baseline capability (difference in baseline: -13 [95% CI -15 to -9.7]; p < 0.01), with a slower rate of recovery (difference in rate of recovery: -0.56 [95% CI -1.0 to -0.079]; p = 0.021). There were no differences in baseline capability or rates of recovery between TSA and reverse TSA. CONCLUSION: The observation that preoperative and 1-year comfort and capability are associated with mental health factors and with similar recovery trajectories reminds us that assessment and treatment of mental health is best considered an integral aspect of musculoskeletal care. Future studies can address how prioritization of mental health in musculoskeletal care strategies might reduce variation in the 1-year outcomes of discretionary surgeries such as shoulder arthroplasty. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, therapeutic study.

Magnitude of Incapability and Pain Intensity are Associated More with Unhelpful Thoughts Than Stressful Life Events.

Prior studies show that stressful life events are associated with greater magnitude of incapability and symptom intensity. We sought to understand the association of such events (i.e., both adverse childhood experiences and recent difficult life events [DLEs]) alongside feelings of worry or despair and unhelpful, on the magnitude of incapability and symptom intensity in musculoskeletal patients. One hundred and thirty-six patients presenting for musculoskeletal specialty care completed measures of incapability, pain intensity, adverse childhood experiences, DLEs in the last year, unhelpful thoughts, symptoms of anxiety and depression, and sociodemographic factors. Factors associated with the magnitude of incapability and pain intensity were sought in multivariable analysis. Accounting for potential confounders, greater incapability was associated with greater unhelpful thoughts (RC = -0.81; 95% CI = -1.2 to -0.42; P ≤ .001), but not with stressful life events (either during childhood or more recently). Greater pain intensity was associated with greater unhelpful thoughts(RC = 0.25; 95% CI = 0.16 to 0.35; P ≤ .001) and being divorced or widowed (RC = 1.8; 96% CI = 0.43 to 3.2; P = .011), but again, not with stressful life events. The strong association of unhelpful thoughts with magnitude of incapability and pain intensity can motivate musculoskeletal specialists to anticipate patients expressing negative pain thoughts and behaviors. Future studies might account for social and environmental context behind stressful life events and the influence of resiliency and pain-coping strategies on these interactions. Level of Evidence: Level III, prognostic study.

Treatment of acromioclavicular dislocations with a concomitant coracoid fracture: a systematic review of 37 patients.

Background: Acromioclavicular (AC) dislocations with a concomitant fracture of the coracoid process (CP) are rare and there is ambiguity on treatment options. This systematic review was performed to address the clinically relevant question: what are the shoulder functions, union rates, and expected time until return to daily life in patients with a dislocation of the AC joint with a concomitant CP fracture after (1) nonsurgical treatment, (2) sole fixation of the AC joint, and (3) fixation of both the AC joint and the coracoid process? Methods: Studies were identified by conducting an online. Thirty records met the inclusion criteria and were suitable for data extraction. Results: A total of 37 shoulders from 37 patients were included. Surgical treatment was provided to 22 out of 37 patients, and 15 patients had nonsurgical treatment. Out of the surgically treated patients, 12 patients were treated with a fixation of both the AC joint and the CP, 9 patients with a sole fixation of the AC joint, and 1 patient with a sole fixation of the CP. Conclusion: Existing literature does not indicate that one treatment option is superior, and more data are needed to guide evidence-based decisions on this rare injury.