# Effect of RCR healing on degenerative shoulder changes and 5y clinical outcomes

> **NIH NIH R56** · CLEVELAND CLINIC LERNER COM-CWRU · 2024 · $293,811

## Abstract

Project Summary—Abstract
Healing following rotator cuff repair (RCR) remains a significant clinical challenge. While most patients report
improvements in clinical outcomes, approximately 20-30% experience a retear by 6 months. Failure of RCR
healing can lead to significant clinical consequences, initiating a pathologic progression associated with
worsening pain, function, and strength, and an increased risk of re-operation over time in some patients. However
critical knowledge gaps persist in our understanding of the significance of RCR healing, the roles of other patient
and surgical factors, and development of degenerative changes in determining longer-term clinical outcomes.
Our proposal addresses these gaps by leveraging two ongoing prospective RCR cohorts of 161 patients being
followed at our institution to collect comprehensive, and in some instances, first-of-kind data on shoulder pain
and function, RCR healing, and associated degenerative shoulder pathology over 5 years following RCR. Aim 1
will measure and describe the evolution of clinical outcomes and degenerative changes over 5y following RCR
using traditional and novel potentially more sensitive variables. Aim 2 will estimate the prognostic effect of 1y
RCR healing status on clinical outcomes and on the evolution of degenerative shoulder pathology over 5y
following RCR. Aim 3 will develop and provide online calculators for preoperative clinical prediction of 5y ASES
score under alternative healing scenarios.
The unique collection of longitudinal data on RCR healing and joint pathology in combination with clinical
outcomes will offer valuable insights into the progression and severity of declining clinical and pathologic
outcomes after RCR. This will enhance our understanding of the benefits of successful RCR healing and guide
clinical decisions regarding targeted strategies to improve RCR healing. The online calculators would have
immediate clinical impact by helping to identify and appropriately manage patients at risk for poor longer-term
outcomes, thus facilitating the use of strategies to improve healing where needed.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11175786
- **Project number:** 1R56AR083376-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** CLEVELAND CLINIC LERNER COM-CWRU
- **Principal Investigator:** Kathleen Anne Derwin
- **Activity code:** R56 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $293,811
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-09-19 → 2025-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11175786

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11175786, Effect of RCR healing on degenerative shoulder changes and 5y clinical outcomes (1R56AR083376-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11175786. Licensed CC0.

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