title: Vertebroplasty in osteoporotic spine fractures: a quality of life assessment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Our goal was to perform a quantitative evaluation of the improvement in functional capacity, quality of life, mental function, reduction in drug intake and impact on hospital admissions after vertebroplasty in the treatment of osteoporotic compression fractures. The efficacy of vertebroplasty in relief of pain has been addressed in previous publications but the quantitative evaluation of improvement in quality of life has not been addressed before.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a prospective study of 42 patients with 83 symptomatic vertebral fractures treated by vertebroplasty with a mean follow-up of 9.1 months. The outcome was measured by pre and postoperatively utilizing the Visual Analogue Scale, the Oswestry Disability Index, the Rolland Morris Scale for Back Pain and EuroQol-5D questionnaire (EQ-5D). The postoperative evaluations were performed at one week, one month, three month, and six month intervals thereafter.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 34 out of 39 active patients, marked pain relief was noted (87%). The Visual Analogue Scale score improved from a mean preoperative score of 8.2 to a mean postoperative score of 2.9 (p=0.0000003) at one week follow up and 3.9 at the last follow-up. The Rolland Morris Scale for Back Pain showed a drop from a mean preoperative rating of 13 to a mean postoperative rating of 10, showing a 25% improvement (p= 0.0207). The Oswestry Disability Index preoperatively was 64.4 which improved to 43.8 postoperatively, showing a 32% improvement (p= 0.0207). The EQ-5D showed a mean preoperative index value of 0.097 and mean postoperative index value of 0.592 (p = 0.0000003). All p-values were determined by the Willcoxin sign-ranked test.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vertebroplasty is a safe and efficacious procedure with a resulting improvement in pain and quality of life.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Section of Neurosurgery, Regina General Hospital, University of Saskatchewan, Regina, SK, Canada.
authors.forename: Krishna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Verma
authors.forename: Jefferson
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: Alika
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: LaFontaine
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001416:Back Pain / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D050815:Fractures, Compression / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D010147:Pain Measurement; D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate