Table 2

Summary of outcome measurements

Primary Outcomes
Measurement instrument
Time point

PPC
8 point item score (see Table 3)
Postop daily to discharge

Secondary Outcomes
Measurement instrument
Time point

LOS
Retrospective from patient information database
At discharge
SPADI
13 items scored on 11 point Likert scale
Preop, at discharge, 1 month postop, 3 months postop
ROM of shoulder flexion, elevation through abduction and external rotation (subgroup)
Plurimeter – V inclinometer
Preop, at discharge, 1 month postop, 3 months postop
MMS of shoulder abduction, flexion and internal rotation (subgroup)
Hand held dynamometer (Lafayette Instruments)
Preop, 1 month postop, 3 months postop
HRQoL
Short Form 36 v2 (NZ)
Preoperative, 1 month postop, 3 months postop
Pain
Body charts and verbal rating scale (end descriptors 0 = no pain and 10 = worst pain possible)
Preop, at discharge, 1 month postop, 3 months postop

Key : HRQoL – Health related quality of life, LOS – length of postoperative hospital stay, MMS – muscle strength, NZ – New Zealand, Postop – postoperative, PPC – postoperative pulmonary complication, Preop – preoperative, ROM – range of movement, SPADI – shoulder pain and disability index.

Reeve et al. Journal of Cardiothoracic Surgery 2008 3:48   doi:10.1186/1749-8090-3-48