Factors associated with persistent shoulder pain following arthroscopic rotator cuff repair: a scoping review

Background: Rotator cuff (RC) tears are among the most common and disabling musculoskeletal conditions of the shoulder. When conservative management fails, arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR) is performed. Some patients, however, report persistent shoulder pain following the surgical procedure. To improve patient outcomes, it is essential to identify factors associated with persistent pain following ARCR, which is the aim of this scoping review. Methods: The scoping review followed the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis extension for scoping review (PRISMA-ScR) recommendations. A literature search was conducted in the PubMed, Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Embase, and Scopus databases. The Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale was used to evaluate the quality of the articles. Results: The main factors associated with persistent shoulder pain are classified under Biological factors, Psychological factors, and Social determinants of health. Conclusion: This review identifies a few consistent biological (preoperative higher pain intensity, preoperative narcotic use), psychological (depression/anxiety), and social (female sex, smoking and, workers’ compensation claims) factors associated with persistent shoulder pain. This information can assist in the early identification of participants at risk for persistent pain and guide patient expectations and counseling.