Determinants of Patient-Rated Benefit 6 Months Post Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair: An Analysis of 2010 Patients

From the surgeon's perspective, a successful rotator cuff is one that remains intact. However, it is undetermined which factors contribute to an improved shoulder from the patient's perspective. The aim of this study was to determine the variables that predicted greater patient-rated benefit from presurgery to 6 months postarthroscopic rotator cuff repair.

Multiple linear regression analysis was conducted on prospectively collected data of 2010 consecutive patients who underwent arthroscopic rotator cuff repair by a single surgeon to determine the predictors of greater patient-rated benefit. Patient-rated shoulder ranking was graded on a five-point Likert scale in response to "How is your shoulder overall?" preoperatively and at 6 months postoperatively. The patient-rated benefit was the difference in rankings between these time points.

Six months following rotator cuff repair, a self-reported benefit was observed in 84% of patients. Patients who rated their shoulder as poor preoperatively reported the greatest benefit (t = 22, P < 0.001). Other preoperative determinants of greater patient-rated benefit were lower patient-rated shoulder stiffness (t = 5, P < 0.001), an injury that was not related to work (t = 4, P < 0.001), stronger internal rotation strength (t = 4, P < 0.002), a more strenuous line of work preinjury (t = 3, P = 0.007), female sex (t = 2, P = 0.019), having a larger tear area (t = 2, P = 0.020), and weaker abduction strength (t = 2, P = 0.046).

Patients who were most likely to perceive a benefit from rotator cuff repair at 6 months postoperation were those who preoperatively rated their shoulder poorly, had a less stiff shoulder, an injury that was not related to work, stronger internal rotation, more strenuous line of work preinjury, were female, had larger tear area, and weaker abduction strength.