Table 2

Patient demographic and preoperative characteristics: median, interquartile range, (mean ± standard deviation) or percent (count) (Reprinted with permission from Gornet MF, Burkus JK, Shaffrey ME, Argires PJ, Nian H, Harrell FE: Cervical disc arthroplasty with PRESTIGE LP disc versus anterior cervical discectomy and fusion: a prospective, multicenter investigational device exemption study. J Neurosurg Spine. 2015 Jul 31:1-16. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 26230424.22).

Investigational
(N = 280)
Control
(N = 265)
p Value before PS Adjustment*P value after PS Adjustment
PS as Continuous CovariatePS Stratificationt
Age (yrs)39 44 49(44.5±8.8)38 44 49(43.9±8.8)0.3690.9970.873
Height (in)64 67 71(67.7±4.1)64 67 71(67.5±4.2)0.6220.9980.946
Weight (lbs)154 180 218(186.9±45.0)155 181 210(184.7±41.5)0.5650.9980.962
NDI score44 54 66(55.5±14.7)44 58 68(56.4±15.9)0.4990.9970.952
SF36 PCS score27.4 32.4 36.7(32.2±7.4)27.1 31.5 36.6(32.0±7.5)0.7750.9990.898
SF36 MCS score34.9 46.5 53.6(44.5±11.5)33.1 42.1 53.0(42.7±12.4)0.0780.9930.924
Neck pain score50 70 81(60.7±20.8)56 72 81(69.3±21.5)0.1900.9950.987
Arm pain score40 64 80(59.6±26.3)42 67 83(62.4±28.5)0.2370.9950.960
Female53.9%(151)54.0%(143)1.0001.0000.881
Race0.0750.9970.708
 Caucasian96.8%(271)91.7%(243)
 Black2.5%(7)4.9%(13)
 Asian0.0%(0)0.8%(2)
 Hispanic0.4%(1)2.3%(6)
 Other0.4%(1)0.4%(1)
Marital status0.1090.9900.749
 Single14.3%(40)12.1%(32)
 Married67.5%(189)77.0%(204)
 Divorced15.0%(42)9.1%(24)
 Separated2.5%(7)1.1%(3)
 Widowed0.7%(2)0.8%(2)
Education level0.0630.9910.877
  < High school5.4%(15)5.3%(14)
 High school20.5%(57)29.2%(77)
  > High school74.1%(206)65.5%(173)
Workers’ compensation case11.4%(32)13.2%(35)0.6160.9980.864
Unresolved spinal litigation case12.1%(34)12.1%(32)1.0001.0000.928
Tobacco used26.4%(74)34.7%(92)0.0450.9910.893
Alcohol used53.6%(150)53.2%(141)1.0001.0000.900
Working before operation67.1%(188)62.6%(166)0.3120.9960.968
Non-narcotic relaxant medication use74.3%(208)71.1%(187)0.4620.9970.836
Weak narcotic medication use47.7%(133)48.3%(127)0.9541.0000.843
Strong narcotic medication use22.2%(62)22.0%(58)1.0001.0000.995
Muscle relaxant medication use35.8%(100)43.2%(114)0.0970.9930.977
Time to start having symptoms0.4880.9990.992
  < 6 weeks7.9%(22)5.7%(15)
 6 weeks to 6 months30.4%(85)33.6%(89)
  > 6 months61.8%(173)60.8%(161)
Normal motor functions38.2%(107)59.6%(158)<0.0010.9790.751
Normal sensory functions41.8%(117)50.9%(135)0.0400.9910.890
Normal reflexes66.4%(186)61.1%(162)0.2310.9950.888
Normal gait score93.6%(262)77.0%(204)<0.0010.8810.467
Positive foraminal compression test42.9%(120)54.3%(144)0.0090.9890.875
Treatment level0.2010.9890.981
 C3-C41.4%(4)3.8%(10)
 C4-C57.5%(21)5.7%(15)
 C5-C652.5%(147)56.2%(149)
 C6-C738.6%(108)34.3%(91)
  • NDI = Neck Disability Index, MCS = Mental Component Score, PCS = Physical Component Score, PS = propensity score.

  • * P values are from ANOVA for continuous variables and from Chi-square test for categorical variables.

  • For continuous variables, p-values are from ANCOVA and for categorical variables, from logistic regression; propensity score as a continuous covariate for both.

  • For continuous variables, p-values are from ANCOVA and for categorical variables, from the CMH test.

  • †,‡For categorical variables with multiple categories, they were dichotomized (except for treatment level) in the logistic regression models for calculating propensity scores to increase model stability and to check the covariate balance between treatment groups.