Can We Assess the Success of Surgery for Degenerative Spinal Diseases Using Patients' Recall of Their Preoperative Status?

Rodrigues, Ricardo; Silva, Pedro Santos; Cunha, Marisa; Vaz, Rui; Pereira, Paulo

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.26/25502

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Abstract(s)

Background: Patients' recall of their preoperative status is seldom used to assess surgical outcomes because of concerns of inaccuracy and bias. Objective: The present study aims to measure the significance of this recall bias and its repercussion on patients' recollection of their preoperative status. Methods: Patients submitted to surgery due to degenerative spine diseases during the period of one year (n=198) were included in this study. EQ-5D (including EQ VAS), COMI Neck (including Neck Pain and Shoulder/Arm Pain NRS), COMI Back (including Back Pain and Buttock/Leg Pain NRS), NDI and ODI were completed preoperatively. One year after surgery, patients were asked to complete 2 sets of the same questionnaires, one regarding their postoperative status and the other one regarding their recall of the preoperative status. Results: There was poor to moderate agreement between recalled and collected preoperative scores for all PROMs. Patients' recollection of their preoperative status was accurate for patients who underwent cervical spine surgery, but not after lumbar spine surgery. Patients satisfied with the outcome after lumbar spine surgery recalled significantly worse scores compared to the preoperatively collected. Conclusions: Using patients' recall of their preoperative status may lead to an overestimation of the surgery effectiveness, particularly for lumbar spine surgery. The self-assessed surgery effectiveness interferes with the recollection of the baseline status.