Intersection of catastrophizing, gender, and disease severity in preoperative rotator cuff surgical patients: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Hypothesis and background: Surgical outcomes are dependent on multiple clinical and patient factors. One patient factor is pain catastrophizing, which is associated with poorer outcomes in other surgical populations. Our purpose was to examine relationships between gender, patient-reported disease severity, and catastrophizing in patients in whom rotator cuff surgery is planned. We hypothesized that patients with more catastrophizing would report greater disease severity.

Methods: Patients undergoing surgery for unilateral symptomatic rotator cuff disease aged 35 to 75 years were prospectively evaluated. Data collected included demographic characteristics; imaging characteristics; range of motion; and Western Ontario Rotator Cuff Index (WORC), Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), and Short Form 36 scores.

Results: A total of 156 patients (87 men and 69 women) aged 54 ± 8 years participated. The mean WORC score was similar between men and women (1286 ± 343 vs. 1327 ± 370, P = .38). The mean PCS score was 14.7 ± 10.6 for men and 17.9 ± 12.4 for women (P = .08). A moderate positive correlation was found between the WORC and PCS scores (r = 0.59, P < .001). Women had poorer WORC-Lifestyle subscale scores (P = .012). Range of motion, Short Form 36 scores, and tear severity were not related to measures of either the WORC or PCS.

Discussion and conclusions: The direct relationship between the WORC and PCS scores is consistent with research in other patient populations. Contrary to other work, no gender-based PCS score differences were observed. Differences on the WORC-Lifestyle subscale suggest that women may experience greater functional impacts to specific lifestyle elements than men. Catastrophizing is related to patient-reported disease severity in preoperative rotator cuff patients. Further research will clarify whether this relationship leads to poorer outcomes following surgery.

Keywords: Rotator cuff; catastrophizing; gender differences; patient-reported outcomes; preoperative; shoulder reconstruction.