Citation

Sutherland AG, Suttie S, Alexander DA, Hutchison JD. J. Orthop. Trauma 2011; 25(4): 228-232.

Affiliation

From the Departments of *Orthopaedics; and ‡Mental Health, University of Aberdeen Medical School, Aberdeen, UK; and †Department of Surgery, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/BOT.0b013e3181ee40a9

PMID

21399473

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: : Posttraumatic psychopathology may complicate recovery from musculoskeletal injury. This article details the 5-year follow-up of a cohort study examining the relationship between posttraumatic psychopathology and recovery after musculoskeletal trauma. DESIGN: : A prospective cohort study of patients with musculoskeletal injuries (Grampian Trauma Outcomes Study) assessed 5 years after their injury. SETTING: : Orthopaedic trauma unit, Level I equivalent. PATIENTS: : One hundred four of the initial group of 200 patients with musculoskeletal injuries. INTERVENTION: : Trauma care and prospective evaluation of physical and psychologic recovery. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: : Development of psychopathology (measured by the General Health Questionnaire [GHQ]) and functional outcome (measured by Short Form-36 [SF-36] and Musculoskeletal Function Assessment [MFA]). RESULTS: : Follow-up at 5 years was 104 patients (52%). GHQ caseness was predictive of physical dysfunction (SF-36, MFA), which had not returned to baseline levels by 5 years. Although injury severity was strongly predictive of psychological disturbance (GHQ caseness) at 5 years, linear regression analysis demonstrated that GHQ score was an important predictor of outcome, whereas Injury Severity Score contributed very little. CONCLUSIONS: : Psychologic disturbance after musculoskeletal trauma is related to adverse functional outcome. This is not influenced by preinjury state, but constitutes a sustained posttraumatic effect that is only weakly related to severity of injury.

Language: en