Prevalence of Rotator Cuff Tears in Elderly Patients with Shoulder Pain-Rural Area at Local South of Taiwan

Wen-Hui Hsueh ； Hsiang-Chun Lai ； Wen-Yih Hsieh ； Nien-Tsu Han ； Hsin-Shui Chen

《台灣老年醫學暨老年學雜誌》 9卷2期 (2014/05) Pp. 7-7

https://doi.org/10.29461/TGG.201405_9(2).0002

並列摘要

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of rotator cuff tear in elderly patients with shoulder pain in Taiwan (rural area). Methods: We reviewed the medical records of 1077 patients (400 male and 677 female) since 2007 to 2012 who visited our hospital because of shoulder pain for over 3 months. Inclusion criteria included age over 65 y/o, no trauma history of shoulder, and no shoulder operation history. All patients received arthrogram evaluation for shoulder condition. Results: Among the 472 enrolled patients, 300 patients had shoulder pain in the right side, 170 in the left side and 2 patients in both sides. Age ranged from 65 to 96 y/o (mean 80±15). Totally 474 shoulders were assessed, and 41 % (193/474, including 75 males and 118 females) had evidence of rotator cuff tear in arthrographic findings including 92.2% of full thickness tear (178) and 7.7% of partial tear (15). Arthrographic findings in other 44 %(208/474) of patients revealed adhesive capsulitis. Only 15% (73/474) patients revealed the normal shoulders. There were 69.6% (138/193) of patients with rotator cuff tear in right shoulder and 23.3% (45/193) in left shoulder. Conclusion: The results indicated that rotator cuff tear is an important cause of shoulder pain in elderly patients. Early accurate diagnosis and treatment can improve later socioeconomic problems and disability.