Patient characteristics associated with successful response to patient advice and combined treatments for patients with plantar fasciopathy.

Introduction: A recent randomised controlled trial compared three combined treatments for plantar fasciopathy (PF) and found no clinically relevant between-group differences. Understanding which patient characteristics can predict response to treatment may help clinicians choose the most suitable treatment for their patients. Objectives: This study aims to explore patient characteristics associated with a successful outcome of different combined treatments for patients with PF. Study design: An ancillary analysis of a three-armed randomized controlled trial (the FIX-Heel Trial) comparing three combined treatment approaches to PF. Methods: The association between patient characteristics collected at baseline and the outcome of one of the three treatment approaches: 1) advice plus insoles (PA), 2) PA and exercises (PAX), and 3) PAX and corticosteroid injection (PAXI) were explored. 180 patients with PF were included in the trial. The primary analysis is a logistic regression to analyse a possible association of sex, age, BMI, symptom duration, pain during the past week on a 0-100 mm VAS, number of PF episodes, and sedentary behaviour with a successful outcome of treatment after 12 weeks. A successful outcome is defined as a minimal clinically important change (14.1 points) in the Foot Health Status Questionnaire pain domain. Results: Preliminary results from univariate complete-case analyses indicate that pain during the past week is negatively associated with a successful outcome with odds ratios of 0.95 (95%CI: 0.91;0.99], P=0.014) and 0.91 (95%CI: 0.86;0.97, P= 0.005) in PA and PAX, respectively. Symptom duration seems negatively associated with a successful outcome with an odds ratio of 0.9 (95%CI: 0.83;0.97 P= 0.006) in PAXI. Final results, including secondary analyses, will be presented at the conference. Conclusion: Less pain during the past week in PA and PAX and shorter symptom duration in PAXI may be associated with a successful outcome of treatment after 12 weeks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]