Differences in Risk Factors for Rotator Cuff Tears in Young Versus Old Individuals

TL;DR

This study identifies different risk factors for rotator cuff tears in young and older individuals, helping doctors better understand and counsel patients based on age.

Contribution

The study reveals that risk factors like gender and race vary in influence between young and older individuals with rotator cuff tears.

Findings

Charlson Comorbidity Index, age, BMI, sex, race, and work status influence rotator cuff tear risk.

Gender and race show different effects on tear risk in young versus older individuals.

Age and BMI were analyzed using receiver operator curves to determine thresholds.

Abstract

Background

The etiology of rotator cuff tears is thought to be multifactorial with current literature that varies with regard to identifiable risk factors. The purpose of this retrospective review was to identify risk factors for full-thickness rotator cuff tears and determine whether they differ in young versus older individuals.

Methods

To determine the presence or absence of a rotator cuff tear, 1,561 patients with a shoulder MRI were reviewed. If a tear was present, it was further classified into a partial or full-thickness tear. Demographic variables and clinical data were collected and analyzed with a two-sided Student’s t-test or Wilcoxon rank sum test for continuous variables and a Chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test for categorical variables. Age and BMI were dichotomized using receiver operator curves.

Results

Charlson Comorbidity Index, age, BMI, sex, race, and work status were all factors that variably affected a patient's risk of experiencing a rotator cuff tear, with different factors carrying more influence on outcomes within those who are older versus those who are younger. Gender and race were found to differ as risk factors between young and older individuals.

Conclusion

We were able to identify risk factors overall associated with increased odds of sustaining a full-thickness rotator cuff tear. Our analyses also showed differences in the effect of gender and race as risk factors between young and older patients with rotator cuff tears. This finding may aid clinicians in counseling patients on more specific risks for their given age.