The Norwegian registry for spine surgery (NORspine): cohort profile.

PURPOSE: To review and describe the development, methods and cohort of the lumbosacral part of the Norwegian registry for spine surgery (NORspine). METHODS: NORspine was established in 2007. It is government funded, covers all providers and captures consecutive cases undergoing operations for degenerative disorders. Patients' participation is voluntary and requires informed consent. A set of baseline-, process- and outcome-variables (3 and 12 months) recommended by the International Consortium for Health Outcome Measurement is reported by surgeons and patients. The main outcome is the Oswestry disability index (ODI) at 12 months. RESULTS: We show satisfactory data quality assessed by completeness, timeliness, accuracy, relevance and comparability. The coverage rate has been 100% since 2016 and the capture rate has increased to 74% in 2021. The cohort consists of 60,647 (47.6% women) cases with mean age 55.7 years, registered during the years 2007 through 2021. The proportions > 70 years and with an American Society of Anaesthesiologists' Physical Classification System (ASA) score > II has increased gradually to 26.1% and 19.3%, respectively. Mean ODI at baseline was 43.0 (standard deviation 17.3). Most cases were operated with decompression for disc herniation (n = 26,557, 43.8%) or spinal stenosis (n = 26,545, 43.8%), and 7417 (12.2%) with additional or primary fusion. The response rate at 12 months follow-up was 71.6%. CONCLUSION: NORspine is a well-designed population-based comprehensive national clinical quality registry. The register's methods ensure appropriate data for quality surveillance and improvement, and research.

Health consumption in Sami speaking municipalities and a control group with regard to medical imaging.

OBJECTIVES: The Northern Norway Regional Health Authority trust aims to offer a high quality specialist health care to all inhabitants. The objective of this study was to document the consumption of medical imaging [conventional radiography (CR), computerised tomography (CT), magnetic resonance (MR), ultrasound (US)]. METHODS: The eight municipalities in northern Norway included in the administration area of the Sami language law (Sami group - 132,490 persons/year in the period 2003-2009, mean/year 19,363 inhabitants) were matched with a control group of 11 municipalities (non-Sami group - 135,539 persons/year, mean/year 18,927 inhabitants). Population data was accessed from Statistics Norway. Data on imaging exams were derived from a regional database including production data from all public and private institutions within the region. All four main modality groups (CR, CT, MR, US) were analysed. Variations for imaging frequency on each modality were compared between the Sami and non-Sami municipalities. RESULTS: A total of 278,832 exams were performed during study period. The age adjusted exam rate (all modalities) was significantly higher (p < 0.001) in non-Sami (females and males) group. There was no difference with regard to conventional radiography (CR) (p = 0.855). Whereas MR (p < 0.001) imaging was more common in the Sami group, CT (p < 0.001) and US (p = 0.003) exams were more frequently used in the control group. CONCLUSION: People living in Sami speaking communities experienced significantly less CT and US exams, but had more MR exams than the control group. A relatively high physical activity, obesity and a lower risk of cancer may be explanations.