Preoperative Mental Health Component Scoring is Related to Patient Reported Outcomes Following Lumbar Fusion

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort review. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to identify depression using the Mental Component Score (MCS-12) of the Short Form-12 (SF-12) survey and to correlate with patient outcomes. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: The impact of preexisting depressive symptoms on health-care related quality of life (HRQOL) outcomes following lumbar spine fusion is not well understood. METHODS: Patients undergoing lumbar fusion between one to three levels at a single center, academic hospital were retrospectively identified. Patients under the age of 18 years and those undergoing surgery for infection, trauma, tumor, or revision, and less than one-year follow-up were excluded. Patients with depressive symptoms were identified using an existing clinical diagnosis or a score of MCS-12