The impact of elective spine surgery in Canada for degenerative conditions on patient reported health-related quality of life outcomes

The impact of spine surgery on Health-Related Quality-of-Life (HRQoL) outcomes across common spinal degenerative diagnoses is not well characterised. A prospective observational study of patients enrolled in the Canadian Spine Outcomes and Research Network (CSORN) registry was performed. Baseline and 1-year post-operative Short Form-12 Physical Component Summary (PCS) and Mental Component Summary (MCS) scores were collated and compared to normative values from the Canadian General Population (CGP). The percentage of patients achieving the PCS Minimum Clinically Important Difference (MCID) was quantified. 5049 patients were included in the analysis. The mean pre-operative SF-12 PCS was 29.5 and MCS was 44.1. This improved to a mean PCS of 40.5 (p < 0.001) and MCS of 49.3 (p < 0.0001) at 1-year post-operatively. The mean pre-operative PCS was over 2 standard deviations (SD) lower than the normative mean of the CGP; this improved to being close to 1-SD from the normative CGP mean at 1-year post-operatively. Findings were similar across age- and sex-stratified subgroups. Across all conditions, 70-75% of patients achieved the PCS MCID. Fewer patients with cervical myelopathy achieved the PCS MCID (59%). In a surgical cohort, patients with degenerative spinal conditions demonstrate a profound reduction in PCS compared to their peers in the CGP. Spinal surgery was impactful in improving physical function HRQoL outcomes in the majority, but not typically to average population norms.

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Publication Details

Journal
Scientific Reports
Published
2025-05-31
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-03613-4
Primary Topic
Spine and Intervertebral Disc Pathology
Type
article
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article

The impact of elective spine surgery in Canada for degenerative conditions on patient reported health-related quality of life outcomes

Sean Christie, Hoàng Tuấn Anh, Michaël Weber, Jérôme Paquet et al.
Scientific Reports
Spine and Intervertebral Disc Pathology
article

The impact of elective spine surgery in Canada for degenerative conditions on patient reported health-related quality of life outcomes

Sean Christie, Hoàng Tuấn Anh, Michaël Weber, Jérôme Paquet, Yoga Raja Rampersaud, Bernard LaRue, Neil Mason, Jean-Christophe Murray, Christopher Sivert Nielsen, Hamilton Hall, Christopher S. Bailey, Guy Hogan, Charles G. Fisher, Adrienne M. Kelly, Nisaharan Srikandarajah, Mayilée Cañizares, Supriya Singh, Nicolas Dea, Eugene K. Wai, Andrew Glennie, Michael Yang, Raphaële Charest-Morin, Ragavan Manoharan, Kenneth C Thomas
article en

Abstract

The impact of spine surgery on Health-Related Quality-of-Life (HRQoL) outcomes across common spinal degenerative diagnoses is not well characterised. A prospective observational study of patients enrolled in the Canadian Spine Outcomes and Research Network (CSORN) registry was performed. Baseline and 1-year post-operative Short Form-12 Physical Component Summary (PCS) and Mental Component Summary (MCS) scores were collated and compared to normative values from the Canadian General Population (CGP). The percentage of patients achieving the PCS Minimum Clinically Important Difference (MCID) was quantified. 5049 patients were included in the analysis. The mean pre-operative SF-12 PCS was 29.5 and MCS was 44.1. This improved to a mean PCS of 40.5 (p < 0.001) and MCS of 49.3 (p < 0.0001) at 1-year post-operatively. The mean pre-operative PCS was over 2 standard deviations (SD) lower than the normative mean of the CGP; this improved to being close to 1-SD from the normative CGP mean at 1-year post-operatively. Findings were similar across age- and sex-stratified subgroups. Across all conditions, 70-75% of patients achieved the PCS MCID. Fewer patients with cervical myelopathy achieved the PCS MCID (59%). In a surgical cohort, patients with degenerative spinal conditions demonstrate a profound reduction in PCS compared to their peers in the CGP. Spinal surgery was impactful in improving physical function HRQoL outcomes in the majority, but not typically to average population norms.

Scientific ReportsVol. 15(1)
Western University (CA), St. Michael's Hospital (CA), Dalhousie University (CA), University Health Network (CA), Université de Sherbrooke (CA), University of British Columbia (CA), University of Liverpool (GB), University of Ottawa (CA), University of Calgary (CA), University of Toronto (CA), Toronto Western Hospital (CA), Royal North Shore Hospital (AU), Montreal General Hospital (CA), Ottawa Hospital (CA), London Health Sciences Centre (CA), Horizon Health Network (CA), Walton Centre (GB), Sault Area Hospital (CA), Université Laval (CA), Krembil Research Institute, McGill University (CA)
Openalex Percentile: Top 82%
Spine and Intervertebral Disc Pathology
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