STUDY DESIGN Case control. OBJECTIVES To use modified NFL Combine testing methodology to test for functional deficits in athletes following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction following return to sport. BACKGROUND There is a need to develop objective, performance-based, on-field assessment methods designed to identify potential lower extremity performance deficits and related impairments in this population. METHODS Eighteen patients (mean ± SD age, 16.9 ± 2.1 years; height, 170.0 ± 8.7 cm; body mass, 71.9 ± 21.8 kg) who returned to their sport within a year following ACL reconstruction (95% CI: 7.8 to 11.9 months from surgery) participated (ACLR group). These individuals were asked to bring 1 or 2 teammates to serve as control participants, who were matched for sex, sport, and age (n = 20; mean ± SD age, 16.9 ± 1.1 years; height, 169.7 ± 8.4 cm; body mass, 70.1 ± 20.7 kg). Functional performance was tested using the broad jump, vertical jump, modified long shuttle, modified pro shuttle, modified agility T-test, timed hop, triple hop, single hop, and crossover hop tests. A 1-way multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was used to evaluate group differences for dependent performance variables. RESULTS The functional performance measurements of skills requiring bilateral involvement of both lower extremities showed no group differences between the ACLR and control groups (P>.05). An overall group difference (P = .006) was observed for the combined limb symmetry index (LSI) measures. However, the modified double-limb performance tasks (long shuttle, modified agility T-test, and pro shuttle) were not, independently, sufficiently sensitive to detect limb deficits in individuals with ACL reconstruction. Conversely, the LSI on the distance measures of the single-limb performance tasks all provided moderate to large effect sizes to differentiate between the ACLR and control groups, as the individuals who had ACL reconstruction demonstrated involved limb deficits on all measures (P<.05). Finally, the LSI for the timed hop test was not different between groups (P>.05). CONCLUSIONS These findings indicate that, while unilateral deficits are present in individuals following ACL reconstruction, they may not be evident during bipedal performance or during modified versions of double-limb performance activities. Isolation of the involved limb with unilateral hopping tasks should be used to identify deficits in performance.

Objectives: We aimed to further validate the vasoactive-ventilation-renal score as a predictor of outcome in patients recovering from surgery for congenital heart disease. We also sought to determine the optimal time point within the early recovery period at which the vasoactive-ventilation-renal score should be measured. Methods: We prospectively reviewed consecutive patients recovering from cardiac surgery within our intensive care unit between January 2015 and June 2015. The vasoactive-ventilation-renal score was calculated at 6, 12, 24, and 48 hours postoperatively as follows: vasoactive-ventilation-renal score ¼ ventilation index þ vasoactive-inotrope score þ D creatinine [change in serum creatinine from baseline*10]. Primary outcome of interest was prolonged hospital length of stay, defined as length of stay in the upper 25%. Receiver operating characteristic curves were generated, and areas under the curve with 95% confidence intervals were calculated for all time points. Multivariable logistic regression modeling also was performed. Results: We reviewed 164 patients with a median age of 9.25 months (interquartile range, 2.6-58 months). Median length of stay was 8 days (interquartile range, 5-17.5 days). The area under the curve value for the vasoactive-ventilation-renal score as a predictor of prolonged length of stay (>17.5 days) was greatest at 12 hours postoperatively (area under the curve ¼ 0.93; 95% confidence interval, 0.89-0.97). On multivariable regression analysis, after adjustment for potential confounders, the 12-hour vasoactive-ventilation-renal score remained a strong predictor of prolonged hospital length of stay (odds ratio, 1.15; 95% confidence interval, 1.10-1.20). Conclusions: In a heterogeneous population of patients undergoing surgery for congenital heart disease, the novel vasoactive-ventilation-renal score calculated in the early postoperative recovery period can be a strong predictor of prolonged hospital length of stay.

No abstract

No abstract