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Background: A prerequisite for a valuable surgical case log is the ability to perform an accurate self-assessment. Studies have shown mixed results when examining residents' ability to self-assess on varying tasks. We sought to examine the correlation between residents' self-assessment and staff surgeons' evaluation of surgical involvement and competence in performing primary total knee (TKA) and hip arthroplasty (THA).Methods: We used the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) to evaluate interobserver agreement between residents' self-perception and staff surgeons' assessment of involvement. An assessment of competency was performed using a categorical global scale and evaluated with the κ statistic. We piloted a structured surgical skills assessment form as an additional objective appraisal of resident involvement.Results: We analyzed assessment data from 65 primary TKA and THA cases involving 17 residents and 17 staff surgeons (93% response rate). The ICC for resident involvement between residents and staff surgeons was 0.80 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.69-0.88), which represents substantial agreement. The agreement between residents and staff surgeons about residents' competency to perform the case had a κ value of 0.67 (95% CI 0.50-0.84). The ICC for resident, staff surgeon and third-party observer using the piloted skills assessment form was 0.82 (95% CI 0.75-0.88), which represents substantial agreement.Conclusion: This study supports the ability of orthopedic residents to perform self-assessments of their degree of involvement and competency in primary TKA and THA. Staff surgeons' assessment of resident involvement correlated highly with the surgical skills assessment form. Self-assessment is a valuable addition to the surgical case log. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Statins are considered a promising therapy in traumatic brain injury (TBI) because of their role in mediating inflammatory injury and other endothelial properties. Whether they can improve patient outcomes is unknown., Objectives: To evaluate the effect of statins in critically ill patients with TBI., Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials., Eligibility Criteria: Trials of adult patients with acute moderate or severe TBI., Methods: We searched Medline, Embase, Cochrane Central and Web of Science databases for trials comparing the use of any statin with placebo or other interventions. Our primary outcome was the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS or GOS extended); secondary outcomes were mortality, intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital length of stay. We used inverse variance random-effects models to calculate risk ratios (RR) and weighted mean differences. We assessed the risk of bias of trials using the Cochrane risk of bias assessment tool and the presence of statistical heterogeneity using the I 2 index. Levels of evidence for summary effect measures were evaluated using Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation methodology. 1 RESULTS: Of the 2418 retrieved records, 7 trials met our eligibility criteria. Three studied simvastatin, and four studied atorvastatin. The duration of the intervention ranged from 2 to 10 days, and outcomes were assessed between ICU discharge and 6 months. Five trials were considered at high risk of bias. We observed no statistically significant association between statins and the GOS (RR 0.42; 95% CI, 0.14 to 1.22; two trials; n=84, I 2 =0%; very low certainty) or mortality (RR 0.59; 95% CI, 0.25 to 1.44; three trials; n=160, I 2 =0%; very low certainty). No significant effect was observed for ICU length of stay, while hospital length of stay was evaluated in one trial showing shorter duration., Conclusion: We found no conclusive evidence supporting the use of statins in critically ill adult patients with TBI at this time. Nevertheless, the trials were limited, and wide confidence intervals resulted in significant uncertainty of the findings. A potential benefit cannot be ruled out, underscoring the need for a larger, well-designed trial., Prospero Registration Number: CRD42023421227., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2025. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ Group.)

Background: The belief that cannabis has analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties continues to attract patients with chronic musculoskeletal (MSK) pain towards its use. However, the role that cannabis will play in the management of chronic MSK pain remains to be determined. This study examined 1) the rate, patterns of use, and self-reported efficacy of cannabis use among patients with chronic MSK pain and 2) the interest and potential barriers to cannabis use among patients with chronic MSK pain not currently using cannabis., Methods: Self-reported cannabis use and perceived efficacy were prospectively collected from chronic MSK pain patients presenting to the Orthopaedic Clinic at the University Health Network, Toronto, Canada. The primary dependent variable was current or past use of cannabis to manage chronic MSK pain; bivariate and multivariable logistic regression were used to identify patient characteristics independently associated with this outcome. Secondary outcomes were summarized descriptively, including self-perceived efficacy among cannabis users, and interest as well as barriers to cannabis use among cannabis non-users., Results: The sample included 629 patients presenting with chronic MSK pain (mean age: 56±15.7 years; 56% female). Overall, 144 (23%) reported past or present cannabis use to manage their MSK pain, with 63.7% perceiving cannabis as very or somewhat effective and 26.6% considering it as slightly effective. The strongest predictor of cannabis use in this study population was a history of recreational cannabis use (OR 12.7, p<0.001). Among cannabis non-users (N=489), 65% expressed interest in using cannabis to manage their chronic MSK pain, but common barriers to use included lack of knowledge regarding access, use and evidence, and stigma., Conclusions: One in five patients presenting to an orthopaedic surgeon with chronic MSK pain are using or have used cannabis with the specific intent to manage their pain, and most report it to be effective. Among non-users, two-thirds reported an interest in using cannabis to manage their MSK pain, but common barriers to use existed. Future double-blind placebo-controlled trials are required to understand if this reported efficacy is accurate, and what role, if any, cannabis may play in the management of chronic MSK pain., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Few studies have examined diabetes impact on total joint arthroplasty (TJA) outcomes, with variable findings. We investigated the association between diabetes and post-TJA physical function and pain, examining whether diabetes impact differs by sex and BMI. Patient sample completed questionnaires within 3 months prior to hip or knee TJA for osteoarthritis (OA) and 1-year post-surgery. Surgical 'non-response' was defined as < 30% improvement in Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) pain and physical function at 1-year. Two adjusted logistic regression models were estimated: (1) excluding, (2) including an interaction between diabetes, sex and BMI. The sample (626 hip, 754 knee) was 54.9% female, had mean BMI of 30.1, 13.0% reported diabetes. In adjusted models excluding an interaction, diabetes was not associated with non-response. However, a significant 3-way interaction (physical function: p = 0.003; pain: p = 0.006) between diabetes, sex, and BMI was found and was associated with non-response: non-response probability increased with increasing BMI in men with diabetes, but decreased with increasing BMI in women in diabetes. Findings suggest uncertainty in diabetes impact may be due to differential impacts by sex and BMI. A simple consideration of diabetes as present vs. absent may not be sufficient, with implications for the large TJA population., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objective: To assess the impact of diabetes on physical and mental health status, as well as patient satisfaction, one-year following knee and hip total joint arthroplasty (TJA) for osteoarthritis (OA)., Methods: Participants were 626 hip and 754 knee TJA patients. Pre-surgery data were collected on socio-demographics and health status. The 12-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12) was collected pre- and one year post-surgery, and physical (PCS) and mental component (MCS) summary scores computed. One-year patient satisfaction was also recorded. Four regression models tested the effect of diabetes on: 1) PCS change score; 2) MCS change score; 3) achieving minimal clinically important improvement (MCII) on PCS; and 4) patient satisfaction ('Somewhat or Very Satisfied' vs. 'Somewhat or Very Dissatisfied'). An interaction between surgical joint and diabetes was tested in each model., Results: Self-reported diabetes prevalence was 13.0% (95% CI: 11.2%-14.7%) and was more common in knee 16.1% (95% CI: 13.4%-18.7%) than hip 9.3% (95% CI: 7.0%-11.5%) patients. In adjusted analyses, change scores were 2.3 units less on the PCS for those with diabetes compared to those without (p = 0.005). Patients with diabetes were about half as likely to achieve MCII as patients without diabetes (p = 0.004). Diabetes was not significantly associated with satisfaction or changes in MCS scores. Diabetes effects did not differ by surgical joint., Conclusions: Findings support that diabetes has a negative impact on improvements in physical health after TJA. Considering the growing prevalence of OA and diabetes in the population, our findings support the importance of perioperative screening and management of diabetes in patients undergoing TJA., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Power et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Introduction: Computed tomography (CT) is often utilized for both diagnostic and pre-operative planning purposes in shoulder arthroplasty. Our study reports on the incidence of pulmonary findings in our pre-operative shoulder arthroplasty population over 14 years at our institution., Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of all "shoulder CT" exams ordered by two orthopedic upper extremity surgeons between the years of 2008 and 2021. These exams were then further analyzed to include only those ordered for the purpose of pre-operative "shoulder arthroplasty" planning. All incidental findings were documented and those with pulmonary findings were then further analyzed. A detailed chart review was then performed on these patients to determine the impact on their planned shoulder arthroplasty., Results: A total of 363 shoulder pre-operative CTs were ordered by our two upper extremity orthopedic surgeons at our institution between the years of 2008 and 2021. Primary lung cancer in the form of adenocarcinoma (n = 3) had an incidence of 0.8% of all CT scans and 1.4% of all pulmonary incidental findings. Fifteen patients (4% of all CT scans and 7% of all pulmonary incidental findings) had no concern for malignancy and were appropriately evaluated with further imaging based on their initial shoulder CT., Conclusion: While shoulder arthroplasty and pre-operative planning with CT imaging continue to become more common, so too is the incidence of reported pulmonary findings. From a patient care standpoint, it is important that these findings are accurately identified, appropriately triaged, and communicated clearly to our patients., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to International Skeletal Society (ISS).)

Objectives: Increased use of opioids and their associated harms have raised concerns around prescription opioid use for pain management following surgery. We examined trends and patterns of opioid prescribing following elective orthopaedic surgery., Design: Population-based study., Setting: Ontario, Canada., Participants: Ontario residents aged 66+ years who had elective orthopaedic surgery from April 2004 to March 2018., Primary and Secondary Outcome Measures: Postoperative opioid use (short term: within 90 days of surgery, prolonged: within 180 days and chronic: within 1 year), specific opioids prescribed, average duration (days) and amount (morphine milligram equivalents) of the initial prescription by year of surgery., Results: We included 464 460 elective orthopaedic surgeries in 2004/2005-2017/2018: 80% of patients used opioids within 1 year of surgery-25.1% were chronic users. There was an 8% increase in opioid use within 1 year of surgery, from 75.1% in 2004/2005 to 80.9% in 2017/2018: a 29% increase in short-term use and a decline in prolonged (9%) and chronic (22%) use. After 2014/2015, prescribed opioid amounts initially declined sharply, while the duration of the initial prescription increased substantially. Across categories of use, there was a steady decline in coprescription of benzodiazepines and opioids., Conclusions: Most patients filled opioid prescriptions after surgery, and many continued filling prescriptions after 3 months. During a period of general increase in awareness of opioid harms and dissemination of guidelines/policies aimed at opioid prescribing for chronic pain, we found changes in prescribing practices following elective orthopaedic surgery. Findings illustrate the potential impact of guidelines/policies on shaping prescription patterns in the surgical population, even in the absence of specific guidelines for surgical prescribing., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Background: The incremental hospital cost and length of stay (LOS) associated with adverse events (AEs) has not been well characterized for planned and unplanned inpatient spine, hip, and knee surgeries., Methods: Retrospective cohort study of hip, knee, and spine surgeries at an academic hospital in 2011-2012. Adverse events were prospectively collected for 3,063 inpatient cases using the Orthopaedic Surgical AdVerse Event Severity (OrthoSAVES) reporting tool. Case costs were retrospectively obtained and inflated to equivalent 2021 CAD values. Propensity score methodology was used to assess the cost and LOS attributable to AEs, controlling for a variety of patient and procedure factors., Results: The sample was 55% female and average age was 64; 79% of admissions were planned. 30% of cases had one or more AEs (82% had low-severity AEs at worst). The incremental cost and LOS attributable to AEs were $8,500 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 5100-11,800) and 4.7 days (95% CI: 3.4-5.9) per admission. This corresponded to a cumulative $7.8 M (14% of total cohort cost) and 4,290 bed-days (19% of cohort bed-days) attributable to AEs. Incremental estimates varied substantially by (1) admission type (planned: $4,700/2.4 days; unplanned: $20,700/11.5 days), (2) AE severity (low: $4,000/3.1 days; high: $29,500/11.9 days), and (3) anatomical region (spine: $19,800/9 days; hip: $4,900/3.8 days; knee: $1,900/1.5 days). Despite only 21% of admissions being unplanned, adverse events in these admissions cumulatively accounted for 59% of costs and 62% of bed-days attributable to AEs., Conclusions: This study comprehensively demonstrates the considerable cost and LOS attributable to AEs in orthopaedic and spine admissions. In particular, the incremental cost and LOS attributable to AEs per admission were almost five times as high among unplanned admissions compared to planned admissions. Mitigation strategies focused on unplanned surgeries may result in significant quality improvement and cost savings in the healthcare system., (© 2023. BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature.)

Objective: To examine the magnitude and costs of ambulatory primary care, specialist physician care, and hospital service use for musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in Canada's largest province, Ontario., Methods: Administrative health databases were analyzed for fiscal year 2013-2014 for adults aged ≥ 18 years, including data on physician services, emergency department (ED) visits, and hospitalizations. International Classification of Diseases diagnostic codes were used to identify MSD services. A validated algorithm was used to estimate direct medical costs. Person-visit rates and numbers of persons and visits were tabulated by care setting, age, sex, and physician specialty. Data were examined for all MSDs combined, as well as for specific diagnostic groupings., Results: Overall, 3.1 million adult Ontarians (28.5%) made over 8 million outpatient physician visits associated with MSDs. These included 5.6 million primary care visits. MSDs accounted for 560,000 (12.3%) of all adult ED visits. Total costs for MSD-related care were $1.6 billion, with 12.6% of costs attributed to primary care, 9.2% to specialist care, 8.6% to ED care, 8.5% to day surgery, and 61.2% associated with inpatient hospitalizations. Costs due to arthritis accounted for 40% of total MSD care costs ($639 million). MSD-related imaging costs were $169 million, yielding a total cost estimate of $1.8 billion for MSDs overall., Conclusion: MSDs place a significant and costly burden on the healthcare system. Health system planning needs to consider the large and escalating demand for care to reduce both the individual and population burden., (Copyright © 2022 by the Journal of Rheumatology.)

BACKGROUND: How changes in recommendations for the use of knee arthroscopy have influenced real-world practice remains unclear. We assessed temporal trends in knee arthroscopy volume, costs, and rates of progression to knee arthroplasty following arthroscopy in Ontario, Canada. METHODS: We used diagnostic codes from population-based administrative databases from Ontario, Canada, to identify patients who underwent knee arthroscopy from April 1, 2004 to March 31, 2019. We calculated arthroscopy volume, costs, and rates of progression to knee arthroplasty within 1, 2, and 5 years following arthroscopy. RESULTS: A total of 408,040 arthroscopy procedures were included. The number of procedures declined 8.9% from 24,070 in 2004/2005 to 21,930 in 2018/2019. The volume of arthroscopy for osteoarthritis declined by 77.9% between 2007/2008 and 2018/2019. For degenerative meniscus disorders, the volume increased by 57.6% between 2004/2005 and 2013/2014, and then declined by 34.6% between 2013/2014 and 2018/2019. Among patients with osteoarthritis, rates of progression to knee arthroplasty were 3.8%, 9.6%, and 16.0%, at 1, 2, and 5 years, respectively, compared with rates among patients with degenerative meniscal disorders, which were 1.6%, 4.1%, and 7.3% at 1, 2, and 5 years, respectively. Over this period, progression to knee arthroplasty rates declined across diagnosis groups. These trends remained after adjusting for patient, surgeon, and hospital characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: In Ontario, Canada, utilization of knee arthroscopy declined between 2004/2005 and 2018/2019, with a concomitant decline in the rates of progression to knee arthroplasty within 1 to 5 years. Among the possible interpretations, our data are consistent with the hypothesis that clinical practice evolved as evidence-based recommendations against the use of knee arthroscopy for degenerative diagnoses were promulgated. (Funded by the Toronto General and Western Hospital Foundation through the University Health Network–Schroeder Arthritis Institute.)

Objective: OsteoDIP aims to collect and provide, in a simple searchable format, curated high throughput RNA expression data related to osteoarthritis., Design: Datasets are collected annually by searching "osteoarthritis gene expression profile" in PubMed. Only publications containing patient data and a list of differentially expressed genes are considered. From 2020, the search has expanded to include non-coding RNAs. Moreover, a search in GEO for "osteoarthritis" datasets has been performed using ' Homo sapiens ' and 'Expression profiling by array' filters. Annotations for genes linked to osteoarthritis have been downloaded from external databases., Results: Out of 1204 curated papers, 63 have been included in OsteoDIP, while GEO curation led to the collection of 28 datasets. Literature data provides a snapshot of osteoarthritis research derived from 1924 human samples, while GEO datasets provide expression for additional 1012 patients. Similar to osteoarthritis literature, OsteoDIP data has been created mostly from studies focused on knee, and the tissue most frequently investigated is cartilage. GEO data sets were fully integrated with associated clinical data. We showcase examples and use cases applicable for translational research in osteoarthritis., Conclusions: OsteoDIP is publicly available at http://ophid.utoronto.ca/OsteoDIP. The website is easy to navigate and all the data is available for download. Data consolidation allows researchers to perform comparisons across studies and to combine data from different datasets. Our examples show how OsteoDIP can integrate with and improve osteoarthritis researchers' pipelines., Competing Interests: At the end of the text, under a subheading “Conflict of interest statement” all authors must disclose any financial and personal relationships with other people or organisations that could inappropriately influence (bias) their work. Examples of potential conflicts of interest include employment, consultancies, stock ownership, honoraria, paid expert testimony, patent applications/registrations, and research grants or other funding., (© 2022 The Authors.)

Purpose: To compare the efficacy of a single, intra-articular, nonconcentrated bone marrow aspirate (BMA) injection in comparison to cortisone for the treatment of glenohumeral joint osteoarthritis (GHJ OA)., Methods: Inclusion criteria were patients between the ages of 18 and 75 with a diagnosis of GHJ OA on radiograph. Patients were randomized to receive an ultrasound-guided, intra-articular cortisone injection or BMA injection (without concentration). The primary outcome measure was the Western Ontario Osteoarthritis of the Shoulder (WOOS) index at 12 months. Secondary outcome measures were the QuickDASH, EuroQOL 5-dimensions 5-level questionnaire (EQ-5D-5L) and visual analogue scale., Results: The study included 25 shoulders of 22 patients who completed baseline and 12 months' patient-reported outcome measures (12 shoulders received cortisone, 13 shoulders received BMA) after the study was terminated early by changes in Health Canada regulations. Baseline characteristics demonstrated a significant difference in the ages of the 2 groups, with the BMA group being older (61.6 vs 53.8 mean years, P  = 0.021). For the BMA group, a significant improvement was seen in the WOOS index ( P  = 0.002), the QuickDASH ( P < 0.001), and the EQ-5D-5L pain dimension ( P  = 0.004) between baseline and 12 months. No significant difference was seen for any outcome in the cortisone group between baseline and 12 months. No significant difference was demonstrated between changes in the WOOS scores from baseline to 12 months when compared between groups ( P  = 0.07). However, a significant difference in changes in scores was seen in the QuickDASH ( P  = 0.006) and the EQ-5D-5L pain scores ( P  = 0.003) and the EQ-5D-5L health scores ( P  = 0.032) in favor of BMA., Conclusions: The results of this study demonstrate that patients with GHJ OA treated with BMA have superior changes in the QuickDASH and EQ-5D-5L pain and health scores but not in the WOOS outcomes measures at 12 months post injection when compared to patients treated with cortisone. However, because of the limited number of patients as a result of the early termination of the study, larger randomized studies are required to confirm these findings., Level of Evidence: Level II, randomized controlled trial., (© 2021 by the Arthroscopy Association of North America. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) are a heterogeneous group of genetic connective tissue disorders, and typically manifests as weak joints that subluxate/dislocate, stretchy and/or fragile skin, organ/systems dysfunction, and significant widespread pain. Historically, this syndrome has been poorly understood and often overlooked. As a result, people living with EDS had difficulty obtaining an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment, leading to untold personal suffering as well as ineffective health care utilization. The GoodHope EDS clinic addresses systemic gaps in the diagnosis and treatment of EDS. This paper describes a leap forward-from lack of awareness, diagnosis, and treatment-to expert care that is tailored to meet the specific needs of patients with EDS. The GoodHope EDS clinic consists of experts from various medical specialties who work together to provide comprehensive care that addresses the multi-systemic nature of the syndrome. In addition, EDS-specific self-management programs have been developed that draw on exercise science, rehabilitation, and health psychology to improve physical and psychosocial wellbeing and overall quality of life. Embedded into the program are research initiatives to shed light on the clinical presentation, underlying mechanisms of pathophysiology, and syndrome management. We also lead regular educational activities for community health care providers to increase awareness and competence in the interprofessional management of EDS beyond our doors and throughout the province and country., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

As a result of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, tele-health for orthopedic care is expanding rapidly. The authors sought to identify the evidence describing the effectiveness, barriers, and clinical applications of telehealth for orthopedic assessments and consultations. MEDLINE, PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library were searched from inception to March 2020. Forty-seven studies were included, with the most common conditions evaluated being trauma related and the primary modality being videoconferencing. Available literature supports the use of telehealth for orthopedic consultations and assessments because it yields moderate-to-high patient and provider satisfaction, accurate examinations, cost-effectiveness, and reduced wait times. Most commonly reported concerns were professional liability, network security, and technical issues. Given the COVID-19 pandemic, rapid implementation and uptake of virtual assessment for patient care has occurred. The current evidence suggests that telehealth is capable of providing prompt access to quality, cost-efficient orthopedic consultations and assessments. [ Orthopedics . 2021;44(4):198--206.].

Background: Recent changes to payment models for elective total joint arthroplasty (TJA) have led to increased interest in postdischarge health care utilization. Although readmission has historically been of primary interest, emergency department (ED) presentation is increasingly a point of focus. The purpose of this review was to summarize the available literature pertaining to ED visits after total hip arthroplasty and total knee arthroplasty., Methods: PubMed, MEDLINE, and Embase were searched. Clinical studies reporting rate, reasons, and/or risk factors associated with ED presentation after TJA were included. Pooled return to ED rates were calculated using weighted means., Results: Twenty-seven studies (n = 1,484,043) were included. After TJA, the mean 30-day and 90-day rates of ED presentation were 8.1% and 10.3%, respectively. Rates were slightly higher in total knee arthroplasty vs total hip arthroplasty patients at 30 days (11.5% vs 6.5%) and 90 days (10.8% vs 9.7%). The most common reasons for ED presentation after TJA were pain (4.6%-35%), medical concerns (5.6%-24.5%), and swelling (1.4%-17.5%). Studies analyzing the timing of ED visits found that most occurred within the first 2 weeks postdischarge. Black race and Medicaid/Medicare insurance coverage were identified as risk factors associated with ED visits., Conclusion: ED visits present a high burden for the health care system, as upward of 1 in 10 patients will return to the ED within 90 days of TJA. Future efforts should be made to develop cost-effective and patient-centered interventions that reduce preventable ED visits after TJA. As well, these rates should be taken into consideration when allocating resources for the care of TJA patients., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The influence of sex on post-total knee arthroplasty (TKA) outcomes has been variable in the literature. Though sex is often reported as an averaged effect, we undertook this study to investigate whether sex modified the influence of presurgery characteristics on post-TKA knee pain., Methods: This was a prospective study with data derived from 477 TKA osteoarthritis patients (279 women, 198 men). Questionnaires were completed presurgery and at 3 months postsurgery. The association between 3-month post-TKA knee pain and presurgery covariates (body mass index, comorbidity count, symptomatic joint count, low back pain, knee pain, and depressive symptoms) was assessed by linear regression. Sex-specific effects were evaluated using interactions., Results: Women had significantly worse presurgery knee pain, joint count, and depressive symptoms, and worse postsurgery knee pain, than men. With simple covariate adjustment, no sex effect on pain was found. However, sex was found to moderate the effects of comorbidities (worse for women [P = 0.013]), presence of low back pain (worse for men [P = 0.003]), and depressive symptoms (worse for men [P < 0.001]) on postsurgery pain. Worse presurgery pain was associated with worse postsurgery pain similarly for women and men., Conclusion: The influence of some patient factors on early post-TKA pain cannot be assumed to be the same for women and men; average effects may mask underlying associations. Results suggest a need to consider sex differences in understanding TKA outcomes, which may have important implications for prognostic tool development in TKA., (© 2019, American College of Rheumatology.)

Background: Lower trapezius (LT) transfers were originally described to restore external rotation (ER) in the management of brachial plexus palsy; however, there is recent interest in the role of this transfer to restore shoulder function, specifically ER, in patients with a massive irreparable rotator cuff tear (RCT). The purpose of this systematic review is to summarize the current literature pertaining to LT transfers, including biomechanics, techniques, and clinical outcomes for patients with brachial plexus palsy and massive RCTs., Methods: MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PubMed were searched for biomechanical and clinical studies, as well as technique articles. Four biomechanical studies reported on moment arms, range of motion (ROM), and force vectors. Seven clinical studies reported postoperative ROM and functional outcomes, and weighted mean improvements in ROM were calculated., Results: Overall, 18 studies were included, and then subdivided into 3 themes: biomechanical, technique, and clinical. Biomechanical studies comparing LT and latissimus dorsi (LD) transfers observed an overall larger moment arm in abduction and ER in adduction for the LT transfer, with similar results in forward elevation. Clinical studies noted significant improvement in shoulder function following the LT transfer, including ROM and functional outcome scores. There were several described techniques for performing the LT transfer, including arthroscopically assisted and open approaches, and the use of both allograft and autograft augmentation., Conclusion: This study suggests that the LT transfer is generally safe, and the clinical and biomechanical data to date support the use of the LT transfer for restoration of function in these challenging patient populations., (Copyright © 2019 Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery Board of Trustees. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background Context: An important step in improving spinal care is understanding how current health-care resources and associated cost are being utilized and distributed across a health-care system., Purpose: Our objective was to examine the magnitude and distribution of direct health care costs for spinal conditions across physician type and hospital setting., Design/setting: Cross-sectional analysis of administrative health data for the fiscal year 2013-2014 from the province of Ontario, Canada., Patient Sample: Adult population aged 18+ years (N=10,841,302)., Outcome Measures: Person visit rates and total number of people and visits by specific care settings were calculated for all spinal conditions as well as stratified by nontrauma and trauma-related conditions. Variation in rates by age and sex was examined. The proportion of patients seeing physicians of different specialties was calculated for each condition grouping. Direct medical costs were estimated and their percentage distribution by care setting calculated for nontrauma and trauma-related conditions. Additionally, costs for spinal imaging overall and stratified by type of scan were determined., Methods: Administrative health databases were analyzed, including data on physician services, emergency department visits, and hospitalizations. ICD-9 and -10 diagnostic codes were used to identify nontraumatic (degenerative or inflammatory) and traumatic spinal disorders. A validated algorithm was used to estimate direct medical costs., Results: Overall, 822,000 adult Ontarians (7.6%) made 1.6 million outpatient physician visits for spinal conditions; the majority (1.1 million) of these visits were for nontrauma conditions. Approximately, 86% of outpatient visits were in primary care. Emergency Department (ED) visits for nontrauma spinal conditions (130,000 out of 156,000 ED visits) accounted for 2.8% of all ED visits in the province. Total costs for spine-related care were $264 million (CDN) with 64% of costs due to nontrauma conditions. For these nontrauma conditions, ED visits cost $28 million for 130,000 visits ($215 per visit). For $32 million spent in primary care, 890,000 visits were made ($36 per visit). Spine imaging costs were $66.5 million, yielding a combined total of $330 million in health care spending for spinal conditions., Conclusions: Spinal conditions place a large and costly burden on the health-care system. The disproportionate annual cost associated with ED visits represents a potential opportunity to redirect costs to fund more clinically and cost-effective models of care for nontraumatic spinal conditions., (Copyright © 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Primary systemic vasculitides are rare diseases that may manifest similarly to more commonly encountered conditions. Depending on the size of the vessel affected (large vessel, medium vessel, or small vessel), different vasculitis mimics must be considered. Establishing the right diagnosis of a vasculitis mimic will prevent unnecessary immunosuppressive therapy., Competing Interests: All authors deny any conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Farah Zarka et al.)

Disability reflects physical impairment and the influence of psychosocial factors. We investigated the relationship between disability and psychosocial factors in patients with upper extremity pathology. Ninety-two patients at a hand clinic were evaluated to assess disability, pain intensity, health status and psychosocial factors (pain catastrophizing, depression). Statistical analyses evaluated the relationships among disability and patient and psychosocial factors. Moderate levels of disability from all types of pathology were reported and associated with pain catastrophizing, pain and depression. Health status Short Form 36 domains were not correlated with disability as determined by Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) scores. A strong correlation was found between DASH and QuickDASH scores, but the QuickDASH scored significantly higher by 4 points. Pain catastrophizing was the strongest predictor of disability and explained 59% and 63% of variation in disability scores. Independent of pathology, those patients experiencing psychosocial issues, as well as demographic factors (i.e. employment status and age), were more likely to have disability with hand conditions and surgical procedures. We conclude from this study that psychological factors affect patient-reported outcomes. Level of evidence: IV.

Purpose: Right ventricular RV dysfunction among transplant recipients correlates with transplant outcome, but its frequency in donors is unknown. The purpose of this study was to describe the epidemiology of RV dysfunction in potential heart donors.", Methods: In a seven-year retrospective study of potential heart donors, we explored the incidence of RV dysfunction as observed on echocardiography and explored the association of four distinct factors with RV dysfunction: brain injury diagnosis, thoracic trauma, vasopressin infusion and left ventricular (LV) dysfunction., Results: All 123 potential heart donors underwent echocardiography: 55 had RV dysfunction (44.7%). Fourty-one (33.3%) had LV dysfunction. Isolated RV dysfunction was present in 27 subjects (22%). LV dysfunction was the only factor significantly associated with RV dysfunction (OR = 4.6 (95% CI 1.9-11.4)). We observed no difference in heart acceptance between subjects with or without RV dysfunction., Conclusion: We observed a high frequency of RV dysfunction in a sample of potential heart donors. However, the temporal evolution of RV dysfunction, the hemodynamic predictors of RV dysfunction, as well the link between donor RV dysfunction and recipient outcomes need to be assessed with further prospective studies., (Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: Reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) with glenoid bone grafting has become a common option for management of glenoid bone loss associated with glenohumeral osteoarthritis. The objectives of this review were to determine (1) the rate of graft union, (2) the revision and complication rates, and (3) functional outcomes following primary RSA with glenoid bone grafting., Methods: A comprehensive search of the MEDLINE, Embase, and CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature) databases was completed for studies reporting clinical outcomes following primary RSA with glenoid bone grafting. Pooled and frequency-weighted means were calculated where applicable., Results: Overall, 11 studies and 393 patients were included in the study. The mean patient age was 73 ± 2.2 years, and the mean follow-up period was 34 ± 10 months. The overall graft union rate was 95%, but the rate was 97% among cases using autograft bone (8 studies, n = 254). When stratified by technique, concentric bone grafts had a 100% union rate (4 studies, n = 139). Conversely, eccentric grafts had an overall union rate of 92% (7 studies, n = 240), which improved to 94% when using autograft bone (4 studies, n = 115). At final follow-up, the revision rate was 2%, the complication rate was 18%, and there was consistent improvement in range of motion and functional outcome scores., Conclusion: Glenoid bone grafting during primary RSA results in excellent early-term clinical outcomes, low complication and revision rates, and high rates of graft union., (Copyright © 2019 Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery Board of Trustees. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The accuracy of surgeons in utilizing the clock face method for anchor placement has never been investigated. Our hypothesis was that shoulder arthroscopy surgeons would be able to place suture anchors at predetermined positions with accuracy and reliability., Methods: Ten cadaveric shoulders were used. Five fellowship-trained shoulder arthroscopy surgeons were directed to place a suture anchor at 3:30, 4:30, and 5:30 clock in two shoulders each. The position of the anchors was determined with computed tomography. The accuracy of placement was calculated and data analyzed with one-way analysis of variance. The intraclass correlation coefficients were calculated., Results: The overall accuracy was 57%. The accuracy of anchor placement at the 3:30 position was 40% (average position 2:24 o'clock), it was 50% at the 4:30 position (average position 3:42 o'clock) and 80% at the 5:30 position (average position 5:03 o'clock). No statistical difference in accuracy between the placement of the superior, middle, and inferior anchors (p = 0.145) was seen. The intraclass correlation coefficient for inter-surgeon reliability was 0.4 (fair) while the intraclass correlation coefficient for intra-surgeon reliability was 0.6 (moderate)., Discussion: The findings of this study suggest a moderate degree of accuracy and fair to moderate inter- and intra-surgeon reliability when using the clock face system to guide anchor placement., (© 2018 The British Elbow & Shoulder Society.)