Editorial Commentary: Large Heterogeneity of Minimal Clinically Important Difference Utilization in Hip Arthroscopy Studies: Where Do We Go From Here?

Abstract

The minimal clinically important difference is a relatively new method to evaluate outcomes after surgery, defined as the lowest value of change in the outcome score that results in a perceived clinical improvement. There is no clear delineation of use for this metric, resulting in a heterogeneous application in hip arthroscopy research, making comparisons with other studies difficult. Cohort-specific values calculated using an anchor-based method are best.