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Minimal clinically important difference (MCID), substantial clinical benefit (SCB), and patient-acceptable symptom state (PASS) in patients who have undergone total knee arthroplasty: a systematic review

Knee Surgery and Related Research, vol. 36, pp. 3

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The present systematic review investigated the minimal clinically important difference (MCID), substantial clinical benefit (SCB), and patient-acceptable symptom state (PASS) of several frequent and established PROMs used to assess patients who have undergone TKA. This study was conducted according to the 2020 PRISMA statement. METHODS: In September 2023, PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase were accessed with no time constraint All clinical studies investigating tools to assess the clinical relevance of PROMs used to evaluate patients having received TKA were accessed. Only studies which evaluated the MCID, PASS, or SCB were eligible. The PROMs of interest were the Forgotten Joint Score-12 (FJS-12), the Oxford Knee Score (OKS), the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) and its related subscales activity of daily living (ADL), pain, quality of life (QoL), sports and recreational activities, and symptoms, the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis (WOMAC) score, the Knee Society Score (KSS) and related function score, and the Short Form-12 (SF-12) and Short Form-36 (SF-36). RESULTS: Data from 29,737 patients were collected. The overall risk of bias was low to moderate. The great variability of thresholds for MCID, SCB and PASS between questionnaires but also between investigated aspects was noted, whereby MCIDs for the SF-36 appear lower than for knee-specific questionnaires. CONCLUSION: Despite its critical role from a patient's perspective, the dimension of SCB is still neglected in the literature. Moreover, thresholds for the different concepts need to be condition-specific. We encourage authors to specifically report such data in future studies and to adhere to previously reported definitions to allow future comparison. Level of evidence Level IV, systematic review and meta-analysis.

Authors 6

  1. Paracelsus Medical University · Ospedale di Bolzano · Universitätsklinikum Aachen · Azienda Sanitaria dell'Alto Adige · RWTH Aachen University

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Orthopaedic, Trauma, and Reconstructive Surgery, RWTH University Medical Centre, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany. migliorini.md@gmail.com

    Department of Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery, Academic Hospital of Bolzano (SABES-ASDAA), Teaching Hospital of the Paracelsus Medical University, 39100, Bolzano, Italy. migliorini.md@gmail.com

    Department of Orthopaedic, Trauma, and Reconstructive Surgery, RWTH University Medical Centre, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany

  2. University of London · Queen Mary University of London · Mile End Hospital · Keele University · Sapienza University of Rome

    Affiliation as printed

    Centre for Sports and Exercise Medicine, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Mile End Hospital, Queen Mary University of London, London, E1 4DG, UK

    Department of Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, University la Sapienza, 00185, Rome, Italy

    School of Pharmacy and Bioengineering, Keele University Faculty of Medicine, Stoke On Trent, ST4 7QB, UK

  3. Universitätsklinikum Aachen · RWTH Aachen University

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Orthopaedic, Trauma, and Reconstructive Surgery, RWTH University Medical Centre, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany

  4. Ospedale di Bolzano · Azienda Sanitaria dell'Alto Adige

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery, Academic Hospital of Bolzano (SABES-ASDAA), Teaching Hospital of the Paracelsus Medical University, 39100, Bolzano, Italy

  5. Affiliation as printed

    Department of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Eifelklinik St.Brigida, 52152, Simmerath, Germany

  6. Universitätsklinikum Aachen · RWTH Aachen University

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Orthopaedic, Trauma, and Reconstructive Surgery, RWTH University Medical Centre, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany

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References 63