[Comparison of pain intensity measurements among patients with low-back pain]. / A fájdalom intenzitását méro skálák összehasonlítása ágyéki gerincfájdalommal élok körében.

Background and purpose:

Pain intensity is the most frequently assessed health domain in clinical studies among patients with low-back pain. Visual analogue scale (VAS) and Numeric rating scale (NRS) have been the mostly used measurement tools for pain intensity. We proposed to correlate these instruments to a generic health-related quality of life measurement tool in order to show the scale with superior clinical relevance.

We used cross-sectional, convenience sampling. 120 patients with chronic low-back pain administered the 29-item Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Profile with NRS included, and the VAS scale in the National Institute of Mental Health, Neurology and Neurosurgery. We determined the correlation between PROMIS domain T-scores and VAS and NRS scores.

We performed Spearman rank correlation test to calculate the correlation coefficient. We found VAS scales measuring pain had weak to moderate correlations with all PROMIS health domains (r = 0.24–0.55). Therefore, we compared correlation of PROMIS domain scores with PROMIS pain intensity numeric rating scale and VAS scales. PROMIS domains had moderate to strong correlations with pain intensity scale (r = 0.45–0.71). PROMIS physical function short form [r = –0.65, 95% CI (–0.75) – (–0.55)] and PROMIS pain interference short form (r = 0.71, 95% CI 0.63 – 0.79) had the strongest correlation with pain intensity item.

NRS has showed greater correlation with PROMIS domain T-scores than VAS scale. This may prove that NRS has greater connection to another health domains, thus it correlated more to health-related quality of life than visual scale. We recommend NRS to use in further clinical studies conducted among patients with low-back pain.

[EFFECT OF INSTRUMENTAL SURGICAL FUSION ON THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN DEGENERATIVE SPONDYLOLISTHESIS]. / A DEGENERATÍV SPONDYLOLISTHESIS INSTRUMENTÁLT FÚZIÓS SEBÉSZI KEZELÉSÉNEK HATÁSA AZ ÉLETMINOSÉGRE.

OBJECTIVE: There is no internationally accepted guideline for treatment of spondylolisthesis in the literature, otherwise this degenerative disease has great social and economical impact. There is no hungarian study examining the efficacy of instrumented fusion procedure in surgical treatment of spondylolisthesis. In current study we examined the effectiveness of fusion technique focusing on the impact of quality of life. METHODS: Between 1st January, 2011 and 30th June, 2012 we examined a group of patients--who were operated on by instrumented fusion technique because of spondylolisthesis--, in the National Institute of Clinical Neurosciences, using the Oswestry Low Back Disability Questionnaire. All patients were treated after ineffective conservative treatment. The question was wheather how has changed the patients' quality of life after the operation. Paired-sample t-test was used in this study. RESULTS: Eighty-eight of the 97 examined patients reported different levels of impovement in the postoperative period, two patient's condition has not changed in spite of the surgery, seven patient's condition showed progression in average one year after the surgery. The pain improved most significantly (55.5%) (p < 0.0001). Using the 16 point borderline according to the Questionnaire (over moderate disability), significant improvement was detected in 50 patients (51.5%). Succesful surgical result--according to the quality of life--was seen in 77.41% of male and in 50.98% of female patients. According to the different age groups, 72.72% of the younger (before retirement), and 53.06% of the retired patients belonged to this group. At least 15 point improvement was detected 35.05% of the patients, the overall improvement was 10.5 point. DISCUSSION: Our results proved effectiveness of instrumented surgical fusion procedure in the treatment of degenerative spondylolisthesis. According to our results the younger male population with significant symptoms is the group, where improvement in quality of life is more pronaunced after the surgical procedure. CONCLUSION: The instrumented fusion surgical technique provides successful clinical and surgical outcome in patients with degenerative spondylolisthesis. It could improve the quality of life. Althought multicentre follow-up studies are needed to determine the exact indication and optimal therapy.

[Our experience with the use of Active-C cervical prosthesis]. / Az Active-C nyaki porckorong-protézis használatával szerzett tapasztalataink.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The most widely used surgical procedure in the treatment of cervical spine disc hernias have been the anterior cervical discectomy and fusion for decades. The usage of cervical disc prostheses enabled us to preserve the movements of the affected segments, hereby reducing the overexertion of the adjacent vertebrae and discs. Our goal is to follow our patients operated with Active-C prosthesis (which is used in the Institute since 2010) to gather information about the change of their complaints and about the functioning and unwanted negative effects of the prostheses. Question - Is the usage of Active-C prosthesis an efficient procedure? METHODS: Between 2010 and 2013, performing the survey of neurological conditions and functional X-ray examinations. We measured the complaints of the patients using the Visual Analogue Scale, Neck Disability Index and Cervical Spine Outcomes Questionnaire. The control group consisted of patients who were operated in one segment using the fusion technique. RESULTS: In the study group according to the Neck Disability Index scale after 18 months, seven patients had no complaints, while twelve persons reported mild and the remaining six moderate complaints. In the control group, moderate complaints were present in four patients, while twelve patients reported mild complaints. The other eight persons showed no complaints. According to the results of the Visual Analogue Scale in the group of prosthesis, the degree of referred pain decreased from 8.6 to 1.84 one and a half years after the surgery. A decrease was observable in the case of axial pain too, from 6.6 down to 1.92 (p<0.01). In case of three from the twenty-five patients there was no sign of movement in the level of the prosthesis. CONCLUSION: According to the present short- and mediumterm studies, the usage of the cervical disc prosthesis can be considered as an efficient procedure, but at the same time the advantages can only be determined in the long run, therefore further following and studies are required.

[Treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures with PMMA-augmented pedicle screw fixation]. / Osteoporoticus kompressziós csigolyatörések kezelése PMMA-augmentált csavaros transpedicularis rögzítéssel.

BACKGROUND: Over the last few decades many innovative operation technique were developed due to the increase of porotic vertebral fractures. These new techniques aim to reach the required stability of the vertebral column. In case of significant instability, spinal canal stenosis or neural compression, decompressive intervention may be necessary, which results in further weakening of the column of the spine, the minimal invasive percutan vertebroplasty is not an adequate method to reach the required stability, that is why insertion of complementary pedicular screws is needed. Considering the limited screw-fixing ability of the porotic bone structure, with this new technique we are able to reach the appropriate stability of cement-augmented pedicle screws by dosing cement carefully through the screws into the vertebral body. We used this technique in our Institute in case of 12 patients and followed up the required stability and the severity of complications. METHODS: Fifteen vertebral compression fractures of 12 patients were treated in our Institute. Using the classification proposed by Genant et al. we found that the severity of the vertebral compression was grade 3 in case of 13, while grade 2 in case of two fractures. The average follow up time of the patients was 22 months (12-39), during this period X-ray, CT and clinical control examinations were taken. During the surgery the involved segments were localised by using X-ray and after the exploration the canulated screws were put through the pedicles of the spine and the vertebral body was filled through the transpedicular screws with bone cement. Depending on the grade of the spinal canal stenosis, we made the decompression, vertebroplasty or corpectomy of the fractured vertebral body, and the replacement of the body. Finally the concerned segments were fixed by titanium rods. RESULTS: In all cases the stenosis of spinal canal was resolved and the bone cement injected into the corpus resulted in adequated stability of the spine. In case of six patients we observed cement extravasation without any clinical signs, and by one patient--as a serious complication--pulmonary embolism. Neurological progression or screw loosening were not detected during the follow up period. Part of the patients had residual disability after the surgery due to their older ages and the problem of their rehabilitation process. CONCLUSION: After the right consideration of indications, age, general health condition and the chance of successful rehabilitation, the technique appears to be safe for the patients. With the use of this surgical method, the stability of the spine can be improved compared to the preoperative condition, the spinal canal stenosis can be solved and the neural structures can be decompressed. The severity of complications can be reduced by a precise surgical technique and the careful use of the injected cement. The indication of the surgical method needs to be considered in the light of the expected outcome and the rehabilitation.

Construct validity of the Hungarian Version of the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System-29 Profile Among Patients with Low Back Pain.

OBJECTIVE: We aim to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Hungarian version of the patient-reported outcomes measurement information system (PROMIS)-29 profile domains among patients with chronic low back pain. METHODS: We used a convenience, cross-sectional sampling of patients recruited at our neurosurgical institution. The participants completed paper-pencil version of the PROMIS-29 profile in addition to validated legacy questionnaires, including the Oswestry disability index, Research and Development Corporation 36-item short-form survey, 7-item general anxiety disorder scale, 9-item patient health questionnaire. Reliability was evaluated by calculating the internal consistency (Cronbach's α). Test-retest reliability was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient. The structural validity of PROMIS-29 was assessed using a confirmatory factor analysis. Construct validity was assessed by evaluating convergent and discriminant validity using Spearman's rank correlation. To further corroborate the construct validity, we also performed known-group comparisons. RESULTS: The mean age of the 131 participants was 54 ± 16 years. Of the 131 patients, 62% were women. The internal consistency of each PROMIS domain was high (Cronbach's α >0.89 for all). The test-retest reliability was excellent (intraclass correlation >0.97). The confirmatory factor analysis showed good structural validity (comparative fit index >0.96; standardized root mean square residual <0.026 for all domains). All measured PROMIS scores correlated strongly with the scores obtained using the corresponding primary legacy instrument, indicating excellent convergent validity. The known-group comparisons demonstrated differences as hypothesized. CONCLUSIONS: We present data supporting the validity and reliability of the Hungarian PROMIS-29 profile short forms for patients with low back pain. This instrument will be useful for research and clinical applications in spine care.

Incidence, Morbidity, and Surgical Outcomes of Complex Spinal Inflammatory Syndromes in Adults.

BACKGROUND: Spondylodiscitis is a rare inflammatory syndrome affecting intervertebral discs and adjacent vertebral bodies. Without appropriate therapy, serious complications, such as secondary spinal epidural abscess (SEA), may prolong recovery time. In this study, we compared the main characteristics of our cohort of patients with spondylodiscitis with those of patients reported in the international literature and analyzed the impact of complications associated with spondylodiscitis on clinical outcomes. METHODS: We designed a retrospective study based on the database of the National Institute of Clinical Neurosciences, Hungary, between 2008 and 2015. We collected 78 patients suffering from primary spondylodiscitis or primary spinal epidural abscess. Based on the main clinical characteristics of our population (demographic features, initial symptoms, concurrent diseases, laboratory findings, microbiological diagnosis, therapy and clinical outcome) we constructed a database. Odds ratio (OR) counting was used to define the correlation between etiology and stage of recovery. RESULTS: We found a mild increase in the incidence of spondylodiscitis compared with international standards, and main demographic and clinical characteristics in concordance with international trends. Primary, noncomplicated spondylodiscitis had the best outcome results (OR, 1.25), and complicated spondylodiscitis had the worst, as well as the lowest OR for total recovery (0.6). CONCLUSIONS: The clinical characteristics of our study cohort did not differ from the international trends. Primary, noncomplicated spondylodiscitis has the highest odds for absolute recovery. Secondary spinal epidural abscess exacerbates ongoing spondylodiscitis, and thus should be considered a poor prognostic factor for spondylodiscitis. Early diagnosis and treatment may prevent serious complications and provide better outcomes.