PROM | Interval | NAPD (ANR ≤1.0) (n = 91) | APD (ANR >1.0) (n = 31) | Univariate Analysis, P Value | Multivariate Regression, β Coefficient (95% CI), P Value | |
Paired Samples t Test | Independent Samples t Test or χ2 Analysis | |||||
PCS-12 | Preoperative | 33.1 (31.6, 34.5) | 33.6 (30.6, 36.5) | NAPD: <0.001aAPD: <0.001a | 0.691 | NAPD: -APD: 0.675 (−3.647, 4.998), 0.757 |
Postoperative | 40.0 (37.6, 42.4) | 41.8 (37.5, 46.0) | 0.412 | |||
Delta | 6.9 (4.8, 9.0) | 7.7 (3.9, 11.6) | 0.522 | |||
RR | 10.2% | 10.7% | — | 0.661 | ||
% MCID | 41.8% | 51.6% | 0.340 | |||
MCS-12 | Preoperative | 47.0 (44.4, 49.7) | 46.0 (41.9, 50.2) | NAPD: 0.903APD: 0.031a | 0.615 | NAPD: -APD: 4.179 (−0.466, 8.823), 0.077 |
Postoperative | 46.9 (44.5, 49.3) | 52.1 (47.9, 56.3) | 0.008a | |||
Delta | −0.2 (−3.0, 2.7) | 5.5 (−0.1, 11.0] | 0.043a | |||
RR | 0.0% | 0.1% | — | 0.114 | ||
% MCID | 30.8% | 48.4% | 0.076 | |||
NDI | Preoperative | 46.0 (42.0, 50.0) | 42.0 (35.0, 48.0) | NAPD: <0.001aAPD: <0.001a | 0.243 | NAPD: -APD: −9.808 (−18.053, –1.563), 0.020a |
Postoperative | 31.9 (26.8, 37.0) | 18.8 (12.2, 25.4) | 0.011a | |||
Delta | −13.9 (−18.0, –9.7) | −22.8 (−30.2, –15.4) | 0.038a | |||
RR | 31.1% | 51.7% | — | 0.059 | ||
% MCID | 45.1% | 61.3% | 0.118 | |||
VAS neck | Preoperative | 6.5 (6.0, 7.0) | 5.6 (4.8, 6.5) | NAPD: <0.001aAPD: 0.001a | 0.041a | NAPD: -APD: −0.704 (−1.929, 0.552), 0.258 |
Postoperative | 3.8 (3.1, 4.4) | 2.5 (1.6, 3.3) | 0.076 | |||
Delta | −2.8 (−3.4, –2.1) | −3.0 (−4.1, –1.8) | 0.504 | |||
RR | 41.2% | 42.1% | — | 0.331 | ||
% MCID | 51.6% | 54.8% | 0.748 | |||
VAS arm | Preoperative | 4.7 (4.1, 5.4) | 7.0 (6.3, 7.7) | NAPD: <0.001aAPD: <0.001a | 0.001a | NAPD: -APD: −0.942 (−2.268, 0.384), 0.162 |
Postoperative | 3.3 (2.7, 4.0) | 2.5 (1.5, 3.5) | 0.264 | |||
Delta | −1.4 (−2.2, –0.6) | −4.4 (−5.6, –3.2) | 0.001a | |||
RR | 48.3% | 57.4% | — | 0.499 | ||
% MCID | 37.4% | 61.3% | 0.020a |
Note: Preoperative, postoperative, and delta data are presented as mean (95% CI). VAS ANR group outcomes compared with univariate analysis—paired samples t test, Kruskal-Wallis H testing with Dunn multiple pairwise comparisons conducted for post hoc analysis, or Pearson Χ 2 analysis—and multivariate regression. RR were defined as: (delta outcome score/[optimal outcome score – observed outcome score]), where the following optimal outcome scores were used: 100 (PCS-12 and MCS-12) or 0 (NDI).2 The percentage of patients reaching the % MCID was based on the following threshold values: PCS-12, 8.1 points; MCS-12, 4.7 points; and NDI, 15 points.3,4 Multivariate regression analysis conducted using the neck pain dominant group as a baseline for comparison—controlling for age, sex, Body Mass Index, smoking status, (never, current, former), follow-up (months), and No. of levels fused.
aIndicates statistical significance (P < 0.05).
ANR, arm neck ratio; APD, arm pain dominant; MCID, minimum clinically important difference; MCS-12 , Mental Component Score of the Short Form-12 Survey; NAPD, non-arm pain dominant; NDI , Neck Disability Index ; PCS-12 , Physical Component Score of the Short Form-12 Survey; RR, recovery ratios; VAS, visual analog scale.