Psychometric analysis and critical appraisal of the original, revised, and modified versions of the Japanese Orthopaedic Association score in the assessment of patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy.

OBJECTIVE Cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) is the most common cause of nontraumatic spinal cord impairment and disability in the world. Given that the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score is the most frequently used outcome measure in clinical research and practice for treating patients with CSM, this review was undertaken to comprehensively and critically evaluate the psychometric properties of the JOA score. METHODS The authors identified studies (published in the period of January 1975 to November 2015) on the psychometric properties of the original, revised, and modified versions of the JOA score in Medline, PsycINFO, Excerpta Medica dataBASE (EMBASE), American College of Physicians Journal Club, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Additional publications were captured in a secondary search of the bibliographies in both original research articles and literature reviews identified in the original search. The JOA scores were evaluated for item generation and reduction, internal consistency, reliability, validity, and responsiveness. This review included all those versions of the JOA score whose psychometric properties had been reported in at least 2 published studies. RESULTS The primary search strategy identified 59 studies, of which 9 fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria. An additional 18 publications were captured in the secondary search and included in the analysis. The key findings from the 27 studies analyzed indicated the following: 1) the original JOA score (1975) was the source for the revised JOA score (1994) and 3 modified versions (1991, 1993, and 1999 JOA scores) reported or used in at least 2 published studies; 2) the revised and modified versions of the JOA score are markedly different from each other; 3) only the revised JOA score (1994) was validated with the original JOA score; and 4) the 1975 JOA score is the most appropriate instrument for assessing patients in Asian populations (especially from Japan) because of its psychometric attributes, and the 1991 JOA score is the most appropriate version for use in Western populations. CONCLUSIONS The authors' results indicate that the original (1975), revised (1994), and modified (1991, 1993, and 1999) versions of the JOA score are substantially different from each other in terms of their content and have been incompletely examined for their psychometric properties and cultural sensitivity. Whereas the 1975 JOA score is the most appropriate version for assessing individuals from Asian populations (particularly those eating with chopsticks), the 1991 JOA score is most suitable for evaluating patients in Western populations. Nonetheless, further investigation of the psychometric properties of the 1975 and 1991 JOA scores is recommended because of a paucity of studies reporting on the responsiveness of these 2 scoring instruments.

Assessment of the minimum clinically important difference in neurological function and quality of life after surgery in cervical spondylotic myelopathy patients: a prospective cohort study.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the application of the minimum clinically important difference (MCID) concept to postoperative clinical results by using a prospective cohort study in Chinese patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM). METHODS: The sample consisted of 113 patients who underwent surgical treatment for CSM in our hospital between February 2008 and November 2012. The preoperative and 1-year postoperative modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association (mJOA) scores, mJOA score recovery rate, physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS) of the Short Form 36 were collected. The MCID of each outcome measurement was calculated by four approaches including average change, minimum detectable change, change difference and receiver operating characteristic curve. The responsiveness of each measurement was then analyzed. RESULTS: The patients presented a statistically significant improvement (p < 0.01) postoperatively in mJOA, PCS, and MCS. The MCID calculated by four approaches varied from 4.09 to 9.62 for the PCS, 3.11 to 7.41 for the MCS, 1.25 to 3.07 for mJOA score, and 31.37 to 44.02% for mJOA recovery rate. In addition, the improvement of the mJOA score owned the highest responsiveness of the four outcome measurements. CONCLUSIONS: The threshold value of the MCID was determined by the choice of the assessment approach. In addition, the recovery rate of the mJOA score appeared to be the most valid and responsive measure of effectiveness of surgery in CSM patients.

Assessment of health-related quality of life using the SF-36 in Chinese cervical spondylotic myelopathy patients after surgery and its consistency with neurological function assessment: a cohort study.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to calculate the responsiveness and statistically prove the reliability of the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) in a prospective cohort study. We investigated the profile of mid-term health-related quality of life (QOL) outcome assessments after surgery for cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) and determined the consistency of the SF-36 assessments of neurological function. METHODS: A total of 142 consecutive patients with CSM who underwent surgery were enrolled in the study. QOL and neurological assessments were evaluated before and at 3 months, 1 year, and more than 2 years postoperatively. We subsequently analyzed the reliability and responsiveness of the SF-36 and the QOL profile for its consistency regarding the neurological function assessment. RESULTS: (1) Cronbach's α ranged from 0.73 (for role-emotional) to 0.85 (for physical function). The effect size ranged from 0.57 to 0.93 for SF-36's eight scales. Minimum clinically important differences (MCIDs) in the physical scores (PCS) and mental scores (MCS) were 5.52 and 3.43, respectively. (2) The scores for all SF-36 scale sections indicated that patients with CSM were significantly impaired compared with healthy adults. SF-36 PCS and MCS peaked at 17.7 and 18.9 months after surgery, respectively. (3) At 3 months after surgery, improvements in the modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association (mJOA) scores significantly correlated only with patients' physical function and bodily pain scores. At 1 year after surgery, improvements in the mJOA scores significantly correlated with physical function, general health, social function, and role-emotional. At the final follow-up, improvements in the mJOA scores significantly correlated with physical function, vitality, and role-emotional. CONCLUSIONS: SF-36 is reliable and has moderate responsiveness for evaluating patients with CSM, with MCID at 5.52 for the PCS and at 3.43 for the MCS. The preoperative QOL of the CSM patients was severely impaired compared with that of the normal population. Postoperatively, each SF-36 domain improved to a variable degree. During the early stage of recovery the mJOA score improvements correlated with SF-36's physical component domains, whereas during the later stages the improvements were associated with the mental component domains.

A questionnaire-based study on patients' experiences with rechargeable implanted programmable generators for spinal cord stimulation to treat chronic lumbar spondylosis pain.

OBJECTIVE: The latest generation of rechargeable implantable programmable generators (IPGs) for spinal cord stimulation may greatly extend IPG lifespan compared with previous nonrechargeable devices. This study explores patients' experiences with these devices. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-five patients attending the Department of Neurostimulation, Royal London Hospital, who were implanted with a rechargeable IPG (SC-1110; Boston Scientific, Minneapolis, MN, USA) to provide pain relief from post-surgical lumbosacral spondylosis were surveyed using a questionnaire. RESULTS: Patients reported a mean (SD) benefit from stimulation of 43.7% (32.6%). On a 1 (worst) to 5 (best) scale, the median score was 5 for ease of recharging. Eight patients who had previously had nonrechargeable IPGs felt the rechargeable system was better (p= 0.0143). A particular issue with nonrechargeable batteries was that, while patients considered 5 years an acceptable interval for battery replacements and the procedure itself not too inconvenient, they felt an acceptable wait for replacement after failure to be only 1 week, much shorter than actual waiting times. CONCLUSIONS: Patients found the rechargeable IPG easy to recharge and those who had had previous experience with nonrechargeable devices preferred using the rechargeable device. Its benefits in terms of pain relief fell within the range expected from previous studies using nonrechargeable batteries. The main disadvantage of nonrechargeable devices as reported by the patients in this study was concern over the length of time they would have to wait without pain relief between battery replacements.

Comparison between anterior and posterior decompression for cervical spondylotic myelopathy: subjective evaluation and cost analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To compare anterior and posterior approaches for treating cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) involving more than two levels, especially in regard to quality of life and cost effectiveness. METHODS: The authors studied 116 CSM patients who underwent decompressive surgery by either an anterior or a posterior approach with instrumentation. In the anterior group, 1-3 levels subtotal vertebrectomy was followed by bone graft and Orion anterior cervical locking plate fixation. In the posterior group, multilevel laminectomy with posterior screw-rod fixation was performed. Follow-up, which included radiographic assessment, clinical examination and documentation of length of any hospitalization and cost and incidence of complications, was performed 1 day before discharge, 6 months after leaving hospital, and at final follow-up. RESULTS: Both groups had improved clinical outcomes. The anterior group showed greater satisfaction but lower visual analog scale scores than the posterior group, whereas SF-36 emotional role and mental health scores were higher in the anterior group. There was no marked difference between the two groups in length of hospitalization and most of the costs of treating CSM, however treatment and examination fees were significantly higher in the posterior group. CONCLUSIONS: Both anterior and posterior decompressions (with instrumentation) are effective procedures for improving the neurological outcomes of patients with CSM. However, although the two approaches have similar health care costs, anterior cervical corpectomy (with instrumentation) seems to be subjectively assessed by patients as better.