Coronavirus Disease 2019 Shutdown Did Not Affect Mental Health Scores in Lumbar Decompression Patients in a Large Metropolitan Region

Abstract

Study Design: Retrospective study. Objective: To evaluate the effect of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) shutdown in a large metropolitan area on mental health scores of spine patients undergoing lumbar decompression in the preoperative and early postoperative phases. Summary of Background Data: Global mental health has been demonstrated to be negatively affected by COVID-19 shutdowns. Preoperative mental health affects outcomes in spine patients, and the effect of COVID-19 shutdowns on mental health in this population is unclear. Patients and Methods: Patients were retrospectively identified from a single orthopedic spine surgeon registry. Patients were divided into 2 cohorts, separated by the date of surgery on or after March 20, 2020, the date of local shutdown due to COVID-19. After division, patients were propensity score matched for age, sex, ethnicity, common comorbidities, body mass index, preoperative visual analog scale back and leg pain scores, and preoperative Oswestry Disability Index. Perioperative characteristics were observed and recorded. Mental health scores, 12-item Short Form Mental Component Score, and 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire 9 were collected preoperatively, at 6 weeks, and at 12 weeks and compared between cohorts through Student t tests. Results: Three hundred thirty-four patients were identified, with 184 patients remaining after propensity score matching. Of the remaining 184 patients, 119 patients were identified as having surgery within the 2 years before the shutdown (“Pre-Shutdown”), whereas 65 patients had surgery within the 2 years after shutdown (“Post-Shutdown”). There were no significant differences between Pre-Shutdown and Post-Shutdown cohorts with regard to either Short Form Mental Component Score or Patient Health Questionnaire-9 at any time period evaluated (P > 0.050, all). Conclusion: The COVID-19 shutdown in a large metropolitan area did not affect preoperative or early postoperative mental health in patients undergoing lumbar decompression. However, each cohort was matched for preoperative pain and disability scores, which may have adversely been affected by the shutdown.