Comparative Analysis on the Result for Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Suture between Smoking and Non-smoking Patients

OBJECTIVE To comparatively analyze the results from arthroscopic rotator cuff suture between smoking and non-smoking patients. METHODS A group of 286 patients who underwent arthroscopic suturing of primary rotator cuff injuries between June 12, 2002, and May 14, 2008, was analyzed. The patients included in the study were evaluated using the UCLA scale, with a minimum follow-up of 12 months and average of 56.52 months. The variables studied were age, sex, side operated, dominance, profile of cigarette use and UCLA index. RESULTS This study evaluated a total of 205 patients. Mean age (p = 0.289) and sex (p = 0.124) were analyzed statistically between the smoking and non-smoking patients and the two groups were considered to be similar. The average UCLA score for the non-smoking patients (143) was 34 (32 to 35). The average UCLA score for the smoking patients (51) was 33 (29 to 35). There was no statistically significant difference in UCLA score (p = 0.123) between the smoking and non-smoking patients. For the purposes of statistical analysis, we grouped the small and medium tears (107) and compared these with the large and extensive tears (80), between smokers and non-smokers. There was no statistically significant difference using the Mann-Whitney test regarding the small and medium tears (p = 818). There was a statistically significant difference using the Mann-Whitney test regarding the large and extended tears, between the smoking and non-smoking patients, such that the non-smokers showed better UCLA scores (p = 0.038). CONCLUSION The results from arthroscopic suturing of large and extensive rotator cuff injuries are inferior among smoking patients.