The evolution of secondary outcomes at different time points compared between conventional and cooled RF treatment of the genicular nerves
| Baseline | 1-month FU | 3 months FU | 6 months FU | ||||||||
| Conv. RF | Cooled RF | Conv. RF | Cooled RF | P value* † | Conv. RF | Cooled RF | P value* † | Conv. RF | Cooled RF | P value* † | |
| Mean NRS (SD) | 6.2 (1.6) | 6.1 (1.8) | 4.4 (2.5) | 4.1 (2.3) | 0.79‡ | 4.7 (2.2) | 3.7 (2.3) | 0.36‡ | 5.0 (2.2) | 3.6 (2.2) | 0.13‡ |
| Patients with significant improvement in PGIC, n (%) | -/24 | -/25 | 8/24 (33.3) | 11/24 (45.8) | 0.38 | 9/23 (39.1) | 10/24 (45.5) | 0.67 | 5/22 (22.7) | 9/24 (37.5) | 0.28 |
| Mean OKS score (SD) | 18.1 (6.1) | 19.8 (7.2) | – | – | 26.3 (9.1) | 28.9 (9.6) | 0.36 | 25.0 (9.6) | 27.0 (8.7) | 0.47 | |
| Mean EQ-5D-3L score (SD) | 0.4 (0.3) | 0.5 (0.3) | 0.6 (0.3) | 0.6 (0.3) | 0.87 | 0.6 (0.3) | 0.6 (0.2) | 0.47 | 0.6 (0.3) | 0.6 (0.28) | 0.62 |
| Mean HADS depression subscale (SD) | 7.0 (4.2) | 7.0 (5.2) | – | – | 6.2 (5.2) | 5.1 (5.1) | 0.47 | 7.0 (4.9) | 5.46 (4.8) | 0.31 | |
| Mean HADS fear subscale (SD) | 7.7 (4.5) | 8.0 (4.8) | – | – | 6.1 (4.4) | 5.27 (3.7) | 0.49 | 6.38 (4.6) | 6.0 (4.7) | 0.79 | |
| Mean PCS score (SD) | 24.2 (11.0) | 23.5 (10.9) | – | – | 22.2 (12.5) | 18.1 (11.4) | 0.26 | 23.1 (13.7) | 18.0 (12.4) | 0.20 | |
| Mean MQS III score (SD) | 7.7 (6.4) | 9.1 (6.4) | 6.3 (6.0) | 6.2 (5.6) | 0.95 | 6.8 (6.2) | 5.2 (4.5) | 0.31 | 5.0 (5.2) | 6.2 (5.0) | 0.40 |
| Goniometry: Mean knee Flexion (SD) in degrees | 62.5 (16.6) | 79.8 (37.6) | – | – | 61.6 (18.1) | 63.5 (17.4) | 0.71 | 65.6 (21.2) | 64.9 (17.3) | 0.91 | |
| Goniometry: Mean knee Extension (SD) in degrees | 167.1 (8.7) | 152.7 (32.2) | – | – | 168.4 (7.2) | 166.8 (12.3) | 0.61 | 169.1 (6.3) | 165.1 (11.6) | 0.18 | |
| Timed Up-and-Go Test score (SD) in seconds | 14.1 (4.2) | 14.6 (4.7) | – | – | 13.9 (7.2) | 12.0 (3.9) | 0.28 | 11.8 (5.5) | 10.9 (2.8) | 0.49 | |
*P value compares conventional RF versus cooled RF procedure.
†Pearson’s χ2 test used to compare proportions and paired t-test used to compare means.
‡P value of mean paired difference between baseline and follow-up NRS.
Conv, conventional; EQ-5D-3L, EuroQol-5 Dimension-3 Level; HADS, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; MQS III, Medication Quantification Scale III; NRS, Numeric Rating Scale; OA, osteoarthritis; OKS, Oxford Knee Score; PCS, Pain Catastrophizing Scale; PGIC, Patient's Global Impression of Change; PPSP, persistent postsurgical pain; RF, radiofrequency ablation; TKA, total knee arthroplasty.