Clinical Utility of Patient-Reported Outcome Measures Used for Tendon and Nerve Transfers for Tetraplegia in New Zealand

PURPOSE: This study determines the clinical utility of patient-reported outcome measures used to measure outcomes of upper extremity (UE) reconstructive procedures in individuals with tetraplegia. The patient-reported outcome measures are the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure, the Capabilities of Upper Extremity Questionnaire (CUE-Q), and the Personal Wellbeing Index. METHODS: Retrospective data of 43 individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) levels C4-C7 tetraplegia, and American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale grades A-D who had upper limb reconstructive surgery were reviewed. Participants were grouped according to their SCI level and resultant surgical procedures into higher SCI severity and lower SCI severity groups. RESULTS: The mean age of participants was 26.3 years (SD 13.4; range 13–64 years). The higher-severity SCI group required elbow and hand reconstruction surgery, whereas the lower-severity group only required hand reconstruction surgery. Important differences in Canadian Occupational Performance Measure priorities were identified between the higher and lower SCI severity groups. Question redundancy was evident with the CUE-Q. The self-report Personal Wellbeing Index captures the possible impacts of improved UE function on an individual’s perceived sense of personal wellbeing. CONCLUSIONS: In this patient-reported outcome measure analysis, we found that the level of impairment influences patient priorities. Functional measures ought to consider UE impairment and personal wellbeing as a construct in this population, given the demands of surgery. TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic II