Using the original scoring of 1 to 5 for each question meant that the index would have a potential range from 10to5050, with a midpoint of 30.
Using the original scoring method, older people had worse scores on physical functioning, role physical, role emotional but better scores on mental functioning and general health than the younger group.
Internal consistency of the tool using the original scoring method and including all 25 subscale items was α = 0.78 (subscales: Function α = 0.52, Symptoms α = 0.41, Interpersonal α = 0.67, Well being α = 0.49, Transcendent α = 0.54).
We used principal component analysis with Varimax rotation to extract factors from the seven items pertaining to secondhand effects using the original scoring from 1 to 5. To decide what factors to retain we used the Kaiser's criteria (eigenvalue>1 rule), the cumulative percentage of variance extracted, and interpretability of the extracted factors.
Using the WORMS system BMLs predicted site-specific cartilage volume loss at the medial femoral, and lateral tibial sites (β -50.1 to -122.1, all P < 0.05); whereas, using the original scoring system BMLs also predicted cartilage volume loss at the lateral femoral site (Table 3).
Using the original scoring system BMLs predicted site-specific defect increases at all four sites (Table 2); whereas, using the WORMS system BMLs predicted site-specific defect increases at the medial femoral, lateral tibial, and lateral femoral sites (OR 2.9 to 13.7, all P < 0.05).
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Further in-depth analysis of the determinants of BF and PTG, where we used the original score as dependent variable, did not materially change the observed findings derived from using dichotomised PTG and BF scores (data not shown).
