Psychosocial Factors, Sleep, and Central Pain Processing for Making a Prognosis About Recovery of Pain, Function, and Quality of Life After Rotator Cuff Repair: An Exploratory Longitudinal Study.

OBJECTIVE

To explore modifiable psychosocial factors, sleep-related variables, indices of central pain processing and patients' characteristics as potential prognostic factors for pain, shoulder function, and quality of life (QoL) 1 year after rotator cuff repair.

DESIGN

This observational longitudinal study included 142 patients who were undergoing rotator cuff repair. All measures took place pre-rotator cuff repair (T0), and 12 weeks (T1) and 12 months (T2) after rotator cuff repair.

METHODS

Mixed-effects linear regression modeled relationships between the Western Ontario Rotator Cuff Index (WORC, model A), the Subjective Shoulder Value (SSV, model B), and EuroQol's EQ-5D-5L for QoL (model C), and potential prognostic factors over time. Factors included psychosocial variables, sleep-related indices, and proxies of central pain processing. Patients' age, sex, and body mass index complemented the analyses.

RESULTS

At follow-up (T2), data from 124 participants were available for analysis. Five prognostic factors were identified for the 1-year outcome. Better expectations for symptom reduction (P<.0001, -1.4 mm) and an increase in Douleur Neuropathique 4 score (P = .0481, -0.9 mm) affected the evolution of WORC over time (model A). An increase in injury perception subscale consequence (P = .0035, 0.04%) influenced the SSV trajectory (model B). In addition, when sleep quality (P = .0011, -0.13%) and sleep efficiency (P = .0002, 0.005%) improved, the EQ-5D-5L slope was affected (model C).

CONCLUSION

Addressing cognitions, pain mechanisms and sleep behavior prior to rotator cuff repair can identify people who are at risk of a poor outcome after surgery. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2024;54(8):530-540. Epub 4 July 2024. doi:10.2519/jospt.2024.12398.