Table 2 Pairwise comparisons of the improvements of VAS pain scores at the follow-up timepoints between patients who were (Y) versus were not (N) completely fused at various follow-up timepoints. There was no statistically significant or clinically meaningful difference of the pre-op VAS pain score when comparing the patients who were versus were not completely fused at each of the three follow-up timepoints (details not shown), meaning that the groups were comparable at baseline. By contrast, all six pairs of comparisons listed in the table were statistically highly significant (p < 0.001)
Complete Fusion | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
6 M | 12 M | 18 M | ||||
Y | N | Y | N | Y | N | |
Δ VAS 6 M: median (25th – 75th quartiles) | 3 (2–4) | 2 (2–3) | – | – | – | – |
Δ VAS 12 M: median (25th–75th quartiles) | 4 (3–5) | 3 (2–4) | 4 (3–5) | 3 (2–4) | – | – |
Δ VAS 18 M: median (25th–75th quartile) | 5 (4–6) | 4 (3–5) | 4 (3–6) | 4 (3–5) | 4 (3–6) | 4 (3–4) |