Minimal important change and patient acceptable symptom state for patients after proximal interphalangeal joint arthroplasty

Our aim was to determine the minimal important change and patient acceptable symptom state for pain and the brief Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire in patients 1year after proximal interphalangeaI joint arthroplasty. We analysed data of 100 patients from our prospective registry. The minimal important change and patient acceptable symptom state were determined with anchor-based methods, and patients with better or worse baseline status were examined. The minimal important change for pain at rest and during activities, and the brief Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire was -1.2, -2.8 and 18, respectively, with corresponding patient acceptable symptom state values of 1.5, 2.5 and 64. Patients with higher baseline symptoms rated more severe postoperative symptoms as acceptable, whereas patients with lower baseline symptoms were only satisfied with a low level of pain and high level of hand function. The minimal important change and patient acceptable symptom state are useful estimates for patient outcomes and study results. Level of evidence: IV