Table 4.

Comparison of the properties of the physical (PCS) and mental (MCS) component scores of the Short Form-36 (SF-36), Short Form-12 (SF-12), and the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scales.

	Preoperative, Mean (SD)	Postoperative, Mean (SD)	Change, Mean (SD)	Sensitivity to Change
1–3 months
Lumbar fusion (n = 96)
SF-12 (PCS)	29.19 (9.62)	29.45 (9.02)	0.26 (10.33)	0.03
SF-36 (PCS)	28.79 (9.04)	30.96 (9.14)	2.17 (9.31)	0.23
SF-12 (MCS)	48.54 (13.02)	46.82 (12.72)	−1.72 (13.55)	0.10
SF-36 (MCS)	47.57 (13.48)	45.44 (13.28)	−2.13 (13.64)	0.16
ODI	45.64 (15.70)	41.66 (18.53)	4.02 (17.02)	0.23
VAS-pain (n = 39)	6.72 (1.99)	3.95 (2.14)	2.7 (2.08)	1.32
Lumbar laminectomy or discectomy (without fusion; n = 394)
SF-12 (PCS)	31.13 (8.34)	33.37 (9.77)	2.26 (10.65)	0.21
SF-36 (PCS)	31.11 (8.49)	34.67 (9.36)	3.54 (10.57)	0.33
SF-12 (MCS)	48.64 (11.44)	48.38 (12.30)	−0.26 (13.48)	0.02
SF-36 (MCS)	47.41 (12.12)	46.87 (13.02)	−0.54 (13.76)	0.04
ODI	46.41 (14.68)	34.17 (18.97)	12.23 (18.76)	0.65
VAS-pain (n = 43)	5.67 (2.50)	3.58 (2.55)	2.09 (3.32)	0.63
3–6 months
Lumbar fusion (n = 45)
SF-12 (PCS)	27.68 (8.00)	35.06 (10.80)	7.37 (10.22)	0.72
SF-36 (PCS)	27.93 (7.16)	37.11 (10.61)	9.18 (10.43)	0.88
SF-12 (MCS)	46.47 (12.54)	51.95 (11.17)	5.48 (11.28)	0.48
SF-36 (MCS)	45.05 (13.35)	50.09 (11.97)	5.04 (11.67)	0.43
ODI	50.33 (14.33)	32.42 (19.03)	17.91 (19.11)	0.94
VAS-pain (n = 23)	6.96 (2.01)	4.13 (2.36)	2.83 (2.54)	1.15
Lumbar laminectomy or discectomy (without fusion; n = 117)
SF-12 (PCS)	31.13 (8.20)	34.81 (10.43)	3.67 (10.93)	0.33
SF-36 (PCS)	30.83 (7.74)	36.04 (9.81)	5.21 (10.57)	0.49
SF-12 (MCS)	47.10 (12.32)	48.15 (12.58)	1.04 (13.89)	0.07
SF-36 (MCS)	46.11 (13.29)	47.19 (13.63)	1.07 (14.04)	0.07
ODI	48.69 (14.34)	33.14 (18.46)	−15.37 (19)	0.81
VAS-pain (n = 24)	6.50 (2.04)	4.08 (2.32)	2.42 (2.79)	0.86

Abbreviation: SD, standard deviation.