Orthopedic researchers from the University of Michigan and the Toledo (Ohio) College of Medicine and Life Sciences recently reported that young adults with Achilles tendon ruptures (ATR) may be considered for either operative or nonoperative management.
In this single institution retrospective cohort study of young adults (18-30 years at time of injury), 28 operative and 14 nonoperative patients participated. Data collected from their medical records included demographics, smoking status, body mass index (BMI), Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), rate of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) after treatment, and rate of rerupture. Patients then completed Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) physical function (PF) and pain interference (PI) questionnaires. Mann-Whitney nonparametric testing was used to evaluate for any statistical differences in PROMIS scores.
All patients had a CCI of 0. One patient in the operative cohort and 2 in the nonoperative reported active smoking. In the operative and nonoperative cohorts, respectively:
- average age was 24.4 and 27.8 years
- average BMI 26.5 (SD = 4.8) and 27.3 (SD = 4.3, P = .52)
- DVT rates 4 (6.1%) and 2 (5.4%)
- rerupture rates 2 (3.0%) and 1 (2.7%).
PROMIS scores did not differ in the operative and nonoperative groups: PROMIS PF mean of 60.4 (SD = 9.8) and 62.9 (SD = 9.1), respectively (P = .33); as well as PROMIS PI mean of 44.6 (SD = 5.9) and 43.9 (SD = 6.5), respectively (P = .59).
Source: Ge L, Saunders N, Betts D, Holmes JR, Walton DM, Talusan PG. Midterm outcomes of operatively and nonoperatively managed Achilles tendon ruptures in young adults. Foot Ankle Orthop. 2023;8(3). doi:10.1177/24730114231198849
