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Study: RC-QOL predicted nonoperative treatment outcome for rotator cuff tears
Among patients with chronic full-thickness rotator cuff tear who underwent nonoperative treatment, the Rotator Cuff Quality-of-Life Index significantly predicted treatment outcome, according to findings from a study.
Ninety-three patients with chronic full-thickness rotator cuff tear underwent a 3-month supervised program of nonoperative treatment. Researchers labeled patients who had improved considerably and were predominantly asymptomatic as successful treatments, whereas patients who elected to have surgery after failing to improve and remaining symptomatic were labeled as treatment failures.
At the 3-month surgical consultation visit, the researchers classified 75% of patients as having a successful outcome. By the 2-year follow-up, results showed 89% of patients maintained their 3-month outcome.
According to a logistic regression analysis, Rotator Cuff Quality-of-Life Index (RC-QOL) was the only baseline characteristic that significantly predicted success or failure. The successfully treated group had an improved RC-QOL score from 49 at baseline to 82 at 3 months compared with patients with treatment failure, who only had a slight improvement from 33 at baseline to 38 at 3 months. For patients who did not undergo surgery, RC-QOL at 24 months was 80, according to the researchers.
Disclosure: Nelson received grants from Calgary Orthopaedic Research and Education Fund and from Workers’ Compensation Board of Alberta.