Speaker: Sleep disturbances improve over time after rotator cuff repair

NEW ORLEANS — Patients show improvements in their sleep disturbance following rotator cuff surgery, according to data presented here at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Annual Meeting.

“If you counsel your patients, you can tell them that they will get better,” Luke S. Austin, MD, said.

Austin and colleagues performed a prospective observational study on 56 patients who underwent rotator cuff repair. The primary outcome of the study was an improved Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Visual analog score (VAS) and simple shoulder test (SST) results as well as patient demographics, including both tobacco and narcotics use, were also taken into account.

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Preoperatively, 89% of patients rated six or higher on the PSQI, indicating sleep disturbance, which improved over time. By 6-month follow-up, the PSQI decreased to 37%. Overall, 15% to 35% of Americans without rotator cuff tears report sleep disturbance, making the 37% at 6-month follow-up a return to normal. No improvement was observed, however, until 3 months after surgery.

Researchers found SST scores were more closely correlated to sleep disturbance than VAS values, indicating sleep disturbance may be more related to functionality than pain, which improved in the cohort before PSQI values. Preoperative use of narcotics was also determined to negatively affect sleep at all points of follow-up. –by Christian Ingram

Reference:

Austin L. Paper #198. Presented at the: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Annual Meeting; March 11-14, 2014; New Orleans.

Disclosure: Austin is a paid consultant for Tornier and has received research of institutional support as a principal investigator from Zimmer.