The psychosocial experience of individuals living with osteogenesis imperfecta: a mixed-methods systematic review.

PURPOSE: Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a genetic disorder (prevalence: 1:10,000), leading to bone fragility, frequent fractures, and varying degrees of physical limitations. Despite a substantial amount of research on the genetics, pathophysiology, and treatments related to OI, there remains a paucity of knowledge concerning the lived psychosocial experience of the OI population. This mixed-methods systematic review aimed to review, appraise, and synthesize the literature on the psychosocial experience of children and adults with OI with the goal of identifying implications for research, practice, and policy-making. METHODS: Using a systematic methodology, quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods studies were accessed through database searching, screened, assessed for eligibility, and appraised. Data from the selected studies fulfilling the eligibility and quality criteria were extracted and synthesized using thematic analysis with an inductive approach. RESULTS: A total of four qualitative and 20 quantitative studies, with various study designs and methodologies ranging in quality, were included in the review (n = 800; comprising 610 children and 175 adults with OI types I, III, IV, and V, ten parents and five healthcare professionals). Six themes were identified: intellectual feats, isolation and feeling different, fear of fractures, coping with challenges, adapting by learning new skills, and social relationships. CONCLUSION: These findings highlighted key aspects of the experiences of children and adults with OI and will be essential for improving the quality and direction of research, tailoring clinical interventions addressing the psychosocial needs and quality of life of individuals with OI, and raising awareness among caregivers, healthcare professionals, administrators, and policy-makers associated with the OI population.

Exploring the Perceived Self-management Needs of Young Adults With Osteogenesis Imperfecta.

PURPOSE: To explore the perceived self-management needs of young adults with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) with the goal of optimizing the self-management and transitional care services. METHODS: A qualitative descriptive study was performed with young adults diagnosed with OI. Two semistructured interviews were conducted before and after their first appointment with a nurse practitioner in the adult healthcare settings (a new partnership initiated by the pediatric hospital). Data were transcribed and descriptively analyzed. RESULTS: Seven participants with OI types I, III, and IV were interviewed. Ages ranged from 23 to 34 years, and years since discharge from the pediatric hospital ranged from 3 to 10. Four themes emerged including (1) dropped in the jungle, with no one to call; (2) they do not know how to treat me; (3) I feel like I'm going to get back in the loop; and (4) self-managing what I know, how I know. CONCLUSIONS: Similar to other childhood-onset conditions, adolescents and young adults with OI require education and mentorship, and clinicians in the adult healthcare system need to be prepared and supported to receive them. Collective efforts are needed to improve the self-management and transitional care needs for young adults with OI.

A Best Practice Initiative to Optimize Transfer of Young Adults With Osteogenesis Imperfecta From Child to Adult Healthcare Services.

PURPOSE: The aims of this study were (1) to review the current body of knowledge on the transition experiences of adolescents with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) and appraise the evidence available on transfer summary tools, (2) to develop guidelines for the successful transition of adolescents with OI from child to adult healthcare services, and (3) to create a transfer tool tailored to adolescents with OI. DESIGN AND METHODS: This knowledge synthesis study was overseen by an interprofessional expert task force at Shriners Hospitals for Children-Canada and entailed (1) review of the literature, (2) development of guidelines, and (3) creation of a tool. RESULTS: The tool was created from evidence compiled from case reports, clinical examples, and nonexperimental studies. CONCLUSION: The transfer tool proposes guidelines designed to facilitate a smooth transition from child to adult healthcare services. It also offers creation of a clinically meaningful, person-focused, OI transfer tool that may in turn help improve the transition experience for adolescents. This study significantly contributes to the dearth of literature on transition experiences in OI and on transfer tools in general. Future research is needed to evaluate the implementation and evaluation of the OI transfer tool in practice.

Pain experiences of adults with osteogenesis imperfecta: An integrative review.

Background: Pain is a common symptom of osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) among children and adolescents. However, little is currently known of the pain experiences of adults with OI. Aims: The aims of this study were to critically appraise the studies assessing OI pain, to synthesize the pain experiences of adults with OI, and to compare the adult OI pain experiences to childhood. Methods: An integrative review was conducted. Five electronic bibliographic databases were searched. Published quantitative, qualitative, and/or mixed-method studies assessing pain in adults with OI were screened, reviewed, and appraised. Descriptive statistics were used to calculate quality scores, summarize sample characteristics, and synthesize findings. Extracted pain data were analyzed using constant comparison and consolidated into meaningful themes. Results: From the 832 titles identified, 14 studies including seven case reports met the inclusion criteria. Study appraisal scores ranged from low to moderate using the Quality Assessment Tool and the Case Report Checklist. The majority of studies assessed pain as a secondary outcome (71.4%) using well-established tools (64.2%). Adults with OI experience pain of mild to moderate intensity, which may interfere with completion of daily activities. Two themes emerged from analysis of the data: mild chronic pain persists despite surgical, pharmacological, or nonpharmacological interventions and past fractures and structural deformities may trigger onset of chronic pain in adulthood. Conclusion: Limited attention has been given to exploring the pain experience of adults diagnosed with OI. Pain is a long-term symptom of OI requiring further in-depth investigation to better understand and manage pain in adults with OI.

Contexte: La douleur est un symptôme commun de l'ostéogenèse imparfaite (OI) chez les enfants et les adolescents. Toutefois, on sait actuellement peu de choses au sujet de la douleur ressentie par les adultes atteints d'OI.But: Effectuer une appréciation critique des études évaluant la douleur occasionnée par l'OI, faire la synthèse de l'information sur la douleur ressentie par les adultes atteints d'OI et comparer la douleur ressentie à l'âge adulte à celle ressentie pendant l'enfance.Méthodes: Un examen par intégration a été mené. Des recherches ont été effectuées dans cinq bases de données bibliographiques électroniques. Les études quantitatives, qualitatives ou mixtes publiées qui évaluaient la douleur chez les adultes atteints d'OI ont été sélectionnées, examinées et évaluées. Des statistiques descriptives ont été utilisées pour calculer leur score de qualité, résumer les caractéristiques de leur échantillon et synthétiser leurs conclusions. Les données sur la douleur qui avaient été extraites ont été analysées à l'aide de la méthode de la comparaison constante et regroupées en thèmes significatifs.Résultats: Parmi les 832 titres recensés, 14 études comprenant sept rapports de cas répondaient aux critères d'inclusion. Au moment de les évaluer, les études ont obtenu un score de qualité allant de faible à modéré en utilisant l'Outil d'évaluation de la qualité et la Liste de vérification pour les études de cas. La majorité des études évaluaient la douleur en tant que résultat secondaire (71,4 %) à l'aide d'outils bien établis (64,2 %). Les adultes attents d'OI ressentent une douleur d'une intensité allant de légère à modérée, qui peut perturber leurs activités quotidiennes. Deux thèmes ont émergé de l'analyse des données : « La douleur chronique légère persiste malgré les inerventions chirurgicales, pharmacologiques ou non phramacologiques ¼ et « les fractures passées et les malformations structurelles peuvent déclencher la douleur chronique à l'âge adulte ¼.Conclusion: L'étude de la douleur ressentie par les adultes ayant reçu un diagnostic d'OI n'a reçu qu'une attention limitée. La douleur est un symptôme d'OI à long terme qui nécessite une investigation plus approfondie afin de mieux la comprendre et d'en assurer une meilleure prise en charge chez les adultes atteints d'OI.