Correlation between the UCLA and Constant-Murley scores in rotator cuff repairs and proximal humeral fractures osteosynthesis

Objective

To evaluate the correlation between the UCLA and Constant-Murley scores in the surgical treatment of rotator cuff tears and proximal humeral fractures (PHF).

Methods

Retrospective study evaluating patients submitted to arthroscopic rotator cuff repair and surgical treatment of PHF with 2-year follow-up. Patients were evaluated by the UCLA and Constant-Murley scores in the preoperative period for the rotator cuff repairs, and 3, 6, 12 and 24 months after surgery for both diagnoses. Pearson's correlation coefficient (r) was calculated to measure the degree of correlation between the two clinical scales.

Results

We evaluated 109 patients: 54 with rotator cuff tear and 55 with PHF. Twenty-four months after surgical treatment, the scores according to the UCLA and Constant-Murley scores were 32.6 ± 4.0 and 85.0 ± 12.0 for the rotator cuff tears and 30.3 ± 5.3 and 73.8 ± 13.9 for the PHF, demonstrating significant improvements in both, in relation to the initial evaluation (p < 0.001). The scales demonstrated high correlation (r = 0.88, p < 0.001). The scores obtained in the two scales showed high or very high correlation in all the postoperative clinical evaluations (r = 0.79–0.91, p < 0.001). The correlation was high in the preoperative evaluation (r = 0.73, p < 0.001).

Conclusion

The UCLA and Constant-Murley scores presented high or very high correlation in the evaluation of surgical treatment of rotator cuff tears and PHF. The correlation in the preoperative evaluation was high.