The duration of symptoms does not correlate with rotator cuff tear severity or other patient-related features: a cross-sectional study of patients with atraumatic, full-thickness rotator cuff tears

Kenneth P Unruh; John E Kuhn; Rosemary Sanders; Qi An; Keith M Baumgarten; Julie Y Bishop; Robert H Brophy; James L Carey; Brian G Holloway; Grant L Jones; Benjamin C Ma; Robert G Marx; Eric C McCarty; Souray K Poddar; Matthew V Smith; Edwin E Spencer; Armando F Vidal; Brian R Wolf; Rick W Wright; Warren R Dunn

doi:10.1016/j.jse.2013.10.001

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The duration of symptoms does not correlate with rotator cuff tear severity or other patient-related features: a cross-sectional study of patients with atraumatic, full-thickness rotator cuff tears

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The duration of symptoms does not correlate with rotator cuff tear severity or other patient-related features: a cross-sectional study of patients with atraumatic, full-thickness rotator cuff tears

Kenneth P Unruh, John E Kuhn, Rosemary Sanders, Qi An, Keith M Baumgarten, Julie Y Bishop, Robert H Brophy, James L Carey, Brian G Holloway, Grant L Jones, …

Journal of shoulder and elbow surgery, Vol.23(7), pp.1052-1058

07/2014

DOI: 10.1016/j.jse.2013.10.001

PMCID: PMC4058396

PMID: 24411924

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Abstract

The purpose of this cross-sectional study is to determine whether the duration of symptoms influences the features seen in patients with atraumatic, full-thickness rotator cuff tears. Our hypothesis is that an increasing duration of symptoms will correlate with more advanced findings of rotator cuff tear severity on magnetic resonance imaging, worse shoulder outcome scores, more pain, decreased range of motion, and less strength. We enrolled 450 patients with full-thickness rotator cuff tears in a prospective cohort study to assess the effectiveness of nonoperative treatment and factors predictive of success. The duration of patient symptoms was divided into 4 groups: 3 months or less, 4 to 6 months, 7 to 12 months, and greater than 12 months. Data collected at patient entry into the study included (1) demographic data, (2) history and physical examination data, (3) radiographic imaging data, and (4) validated patient-reported measures of shoulder status. Statistical analysis included a univariate analysis with the Kruskal-Wallis test and Pearson test to identify statistically significant differences in these features for different durations of symptoms. A longer duration of symptoms does not correlate with more severe rotator cuff disease. The duration of symptoms was not related to weakness, limited range of motion, tear size, fatty atrophy, or validated patient-reported outcome measures. There is only a weak relationship between the duration of symptoms and features associated with rotator cuff disease.

Rotator cuff tear

duration of symptoms

cross-sectional study

Details

Title: Subtitle: The duration of symptoms does not correlate with rotator cuff tear severity or other patient-related features: a cross-sectional study of patients with atraumatic, full-thickness rotator cuff tears
Creators: Kenneth P Unruh - Division of Sports Medicine, Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, Vanderbilt University Medical School, Nashville, TN, USA
John E Kuhn - Division of Sports Medicine, Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, Vanderbilt University Medical School, Nashville, TN, USA
Rosemary Sanders - Division of Sports Medicine, Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, Vanderbilt University Medical School, Nashville, TN, USA
Qi An - Division of Sports Medicine, Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, Vanderbilt University Medical School, Nashville, TN, USA
Keith M Baumgarten - Orthopaedic Institute, Sioux Falls, SD, USA
Julie Y Bishop - Department of Orthopaedics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
Robert H Brophy - Division of Sports Medicine, Department of Orthopedics, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA
James L Carey - Division of Sports Medicine, Department of Orthopaedics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadephia, PA, USA
Brian G Holloway - Knoxville Orthopedic Clinic, Knoxville, TN, USA
Grant L Jones - Department of Orthopaedics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
Benjamin C Ma - Division of Sports Medicine, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
Robert G Marx - Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY, USA
Eric C McCarty - Division of Sports Medicine, University of Colorado, Denver, CO, USA
Souray K Poddar - Division of Sports Medicine, University of Colorado, Denver, CO, USA
Matthew V Smith - Division of Sports Medicine, Department of Orthopedics, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA
Edwin E Spencer - Knoxville Orthopedic Clinic, Knoxville, TN, USA
Armando F Vidal - Division of Sports Medicine, University of Colorado, Denver, CO, USA
Brian R Wolf - Division of Sports Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
Rick W Wright - Division of Sports Medicine, Department of Orthopedics, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA
Warren R Dunn - Division of Sports Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Journal of shoulder and elbow surgery, Vol.23(7), pp.1052-1058
DOI: 10.1016/j.jse.2013.10.001
PMID: 24411924
PMCID: PMC4058396
NLM abbreviation: J Shoulder Elbow Surg
ISSN: 1058-2746
eISSN: 1532-6500
Publisher: Mosby, Inc
Language: English
Date published: 07/2014
Academic Unit: Orthopedics and Rehabilitation; Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science
Record Identifier: 9984040593402771

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