• J Alex Sielatycki, Scott L Parker, Saniya S Godil, Matthew J McGirt, and Clinton J Devin.
• *Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN†Department of Neurosurgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN‡Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates, Charlotte, NC.
• Spine. 2015 Dec 1; 40 (24): 1934-40.

Study DesignAnalysis of patients in a prospective registry.ObjectiveTo determine the association between patient demographics, outcomes, and loss to follow-up 12 months after spine surgery.Summary Of Background DataObtaining outcomes 12 months after spine surgery remains a challenge. Loss to follow-up is believed to introduce biases and portend poor outcomes. Associations between follow-up, patient demographics, and outcomes in the degenerative spine population have not been studied.MethodsPatients undergoing surgery for degenerative spine disease at a single institution over a 2-year period were enrolled in a prospective registry. Patient demographics, comorbidities, treatment variables, readmissions/reoperations, and all 90-day surgical morbidity were collected. Patient-reported outcomes were recorded at baseline, 3-months, and 12-months after surgery. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was done to identify predictors of loss to follow-up.ResultsA total of 1484 patients with baseline and 3-month outcomes were included. Two hundred thirty-three (15.7%) patients were lost to follow-up at 12 months. There was no difference in the baseline demographics (Sex: P = 0.46) and comorbidities (American Society of Anesthesiologists Grade: P = 0.06) of patients who had follow-up at 12-months versus those who did not, except age and employment status. Patients lost to follow-up at 12 months were younger (51.0 vs. 57.1 years; P < 0.001) and a higher proportion were employed preoperatively (45.9% vs. 41.7%, P = 0.24). Preoperative pain, disability, and quality of life was similar between the two groups (P > 0.05). There was no difference in 90-day morbidity (17.2% vs. 16.2%; P = 0.70) and 3-month pain, disability, quality of life, and patient satisfaction (85.0% vs. 88.3%; P = 0.63) (P > 0.05). In multivariate model, only younger age (P < 0.001) was an independent predictor of loss to follow-up at 12 months.ConclusionIn our prospective spine registry the 12-month loss to follow-up rate is approximately 15%. The only independent predictor of loss to follow-up is younger age and preoperative employment.Level Of Evidence3.

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