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. 2021 Oct 29;6(4):24730114211040740.
doi: 10.1177/24730114211040740. eCollection 2021 Oct.

Evaluating Prospective Patient-Reported Pain and Function Outcomes After Ankle and Hindfoot Arthrodesis

Manish P Mehta  1 , Mitesh P Mehta  1 , Alain E Sherman  1 , Muhammad Y Mutawakkil  1 , Raheem Bell  1 , Milap S Patel  1 , Anish R Kadakia  1
Affiliations

Evaluating Prospective Patient-Reported Pain and Function Outcomes After Ankle and Hindfoot Arthrodesis

Manish P Mehta et al. Foot Ankle Orthop. .

Abstract

Background: Hindfoot and ankle fusions are mechanically limiting procedures for patients. However, patient-reported outcomes of these procedures have not been well studied. This study assessed outcomes of hindfoot and ankle fusions by using Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Physical Function (PF) and Pain Interference (PI) Computer Adaptive Tests (CATs).

Methods: Between 2014 and 2018, 102 patients were prospectively enrolled after presenting to a tertiary care facility for ankle and hindfoot fusions, including tibiotalar, tibiotalocalcaneal, subtalar, and triple arthrodeses. Study participants completed preoperative and 12-month postoperative PF and PI CATs. The differences between mean 12-month postoperative and preoperative PROMIS PF and PI T scores were analyzed with paired t tests. The relationship between the 12-month PF and PI differences for the overall sample and patient factors was examined using multiple regression modeling.

Results: The sample had mean age of 57.69 years; 48% were male, and 55% were obese. Patients who underwent ankle and hindfoot arthrodesis had statistically significant improvements from preoperative to 12 months postoperative in mean PF (36.26±7.85 vs 39.38±6.46, P = .03) and PI (61.07±7.75 vs 56.62±9.81, P = .02). Triple arthrodesis saw the greatest increases in physical function (▵PF = 7.22±7.31, P = .01) and reductions in pain (▵PI = -9.17±8.31, P = .01), achieving minimal clinically important difference (MCID). Patients who underwent tibiotalar fusion had significant improvement in physical function (▵PF = 4.18±5.68, P = .04) and pain reduction that approached statistical significance (▵PI = -6.24±8.50, P = .09), achieving MCID. Older age (≥60 years ) was associated with greater improvements in PF (β = 0.20, P = .07) and PI (β = -0.29, P = .04). Preoperative PF and PI T scores were significantly associated with the 12-month change in PF and PI T scores, respectively (β = -0.74, P < .01; β = -0.61, P < .01).

Conclusion: Hindfoot and ankle fusions are procedures with favorable patient outcomes leading to increased physical function and decreased pain at 12 months postoperation relative to preoperation.

Level of evidence: Level II, prospective comparative study.

Keywords: PROMIS; ankle fusion; hindfoot fusion; patient-reported outcomes.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Conflicting Interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. ICMJE forms for all authors are available online.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Physical function and pain interference T scores. Data is reported for the overall sample and by each surgery type as the mean difference between 12-month postoperative and preoperative T scores for PF and PI CATs. ***P < 0.05.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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