Comprehensive assessment of clinical outcome and quality of life after total shoulder arthroplasty: usefulness and validity of subjective outcome measures.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the physiometric and psychometric properties of clinical, generic, and condition-specific assessment instruments. To describe patients' outcome after total shoulder arthroplasty.


METHODS
Forty-three patients were assessed in a 5-6-year cross-sectional catamnesis.


RESULTS
With regard to shoulder joint stability, pain, general physical health, and mental health, the patients showed scores comparative to normative scores. Significant functional limitation was evidenced by low mean scores on the specific function scales (e.g., Disability of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand questionnaire score = 64.0, normative score = 86.6). There were high correlations among the joint-specific scales (up to 0.93) and moderate correlations between these and the generic and clinical scales. Factor analysis identified 3 different assessment domains.


CONCLUSIONS
The patients' quality of life (QOL) was high and not affected by impairment in some specific functional abilities. Physical QOL, mental QOL, clinical assessment, condition-specific measures, and generic measures were identified as separate domains, all of which are required for a comprehensive and sophisticated assessment in practical clinical routine.
Schulthess Klinik, Zurich. fangst@datacomm.ch
Felix
F
Angst
Géza
G
Pap
Anne F
AF
Mannion
Daniel B
DB
Herren
André
A
Aeschlimann
Hans-Kaspar
HK
Schwyzer
Beat R
BR
Simmen
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000601:surgery; D019643:Arthroplasty, Replacement; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006304:Health Status; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000601:surgery; D011788:Quality of Life; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012785:Shoulder Joint / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome