Patient factors that matter in predicting spine surgery outcomes: a machine learning approach

Abstract

Nearly 40% of the variance in spine outcomes was accounted for by cognitive factors, after adjusting for clinical and demographic factors. Different expectations and appraisal processes played a role in long- versus short-range predictions, suggesting that cognitive adaptation is important and relevant to pain relief outcomes after spine surgery. These results underscore the importance of addressing how people think about QOL and surgery outcomes to maximize the benefits of surgery.