Psychosocial Interventions for Pain Management in Breast Cancer Survivors: A RE-AIM Evaluation.

Psychosocial interventions for breast-cancer-related pain are effective, yet over 45% of survivors continue to struggle with this often-chronic side effect. This study evaluated multilevel indicators that can influence successful translation of interventions into clinical practice. The Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework was applied to evaluate reporting of individual and setting/staff-level intervention indicators. A systematic search and multi-step screening process identified 31 randomized controlled trials for psychosocial interventions for breast cancer-related pain. Average reporting of indicators for individual-level dimensions (Reach and Effectiveness) were 65.2% and 62.3%, respectively. Comparatively, indicators for setting/staff-level dimensions were reported at a lower average frequency (Implementation, 46.8%; Adoption, 15.2%; Maintenance, 7.7%). Low reporting of setting/staff-level dimensions suggests gaps in the sustained implementation of psychosocial interventions. Implementation science methods and frameworks could improve trial design and accelerate the translation of psychosocial interventions for breast cancer-related pain into clinical practice.

Sleep Health in U.S. Military Women: A Scoping Review of the Literature, 2000-2019.

BACKGROUND: Sleep, critical to military operational effectiveness, is among the top five outpatient conditions for which military women seek care, yet sleep research in active duty servicewomen is sparse. We conducted a scoping review to 1) describe literature focused on sleep disorders and promotion of sleep health among U.S. active duty servicewomen and 2) identify opportunities for future health policies and research that may improve sleep health and decrease incidence of disordered sleep in servicewomen. METHODS: The PRISMA-ScR guidelines for scoping reviews informed this project. We searched Ovid; MEDLINE and Epub Ahead of Print, In-Process and Other Non-Indexed Citations, Daily and Versions; Embase; CINAHL; Cochrane Central; the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews; PsycInfo; and the Web of Science, and several sources of grey literature, from January 2000 through March 2019. We used a three-step screening and data extraction process: 1) title and abstract screening, 2) full-text article screening, and 3) data extraction from included articles. RESULTS: Seventeen of 1464 articles met the inclusion criteria. Most articles were retrospective, descriptive, or observational research. No intervention studies were identified. Sleep diagnoses and dimensions included insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea, disordered sleep quality and duration, and narcolepsy. Sex/gender differences were documented in screening, diagnosis, risk factors, and conditions associated with disordered sleep, for example, pregnancy and postpartum status. Actionable leverage points involve military culture, training, education, treatment, and self-care behaviors related to sleep health. CONCLUSIONS: Although we identified leverage points where policy changes have the potential to improve sleep health in active duty servicewomen, there is an urgent need for intervention research to address the gaps in knowledge about sleep health in this population.

A Scoping Review of Cervical Cancer Risk Factors, Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment in U.S. Active Duty Military Women.

INTRODUCTION: Maintaining military readiness requires integration and delivery of appropriate sex-specific health care services for active duty servicewomen (ADSW). Cervical cancer screening (CCS) provides early detection, intervention, and treatment, allowing for reductions in human papillomavirus (HPV) infections and cervical cancer cases. This scoping review examines existing cervical cancer evidence related to ADSW and identifies research gaps, leverage points, and policy recommendations within the context of the social ecological model for military women's health. METHODS: We conducted a scoping literature search using both indexed databases and nonindexed sources. We managed retrieved records from 2000 to 2018 with Endnote reference and DistillerSR systematic review software. RESULTS: Of 1,006 records from indexed databases and 208 records from nonindexed resources retrieved, 40 publications met the inclusion criteria. Cervical cancer research addressing ADSW is limited. Servicewomen have high rates of known cancer risk factors and face challenges related to deployments and change of duty station that affect continuity of health care and timely follow-up for abnormal CCS. Multimodal interventions with stakeholder support can encourage CCS adherence and increase HPV vaccination rates. CONCLUSION: Maintaining military readiness among ADSW requires robust evidence-based prevention efforts to address risk factors that are reportedly higher among servicewomen, as well as challenges to continuity in health care delivery that may increase the likelihood of cervical cancer incidence. Recognizing the role of HPV vaccination as cancer prevention, collaborations and partnerships, research, best practices, and creative solutions to close ADSW's sex-specific health gaps will help to ensure a fit and ready force.

What Determines the Quality of Rehabilitation Clinical Practice Guidelines?: An Overview Study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to determine what factors determine the quality of rehabilitation clinical practice guidelines. DESIGN: Six databases were searched for articles that had applied the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research & Evaluation II quality assessment tool to rehabilitation clinical practice guidelines. The 573 deduplicated abstracts were independently screened by two authors, resulting in 81 articles, the full texts of which were independently screened by two authors for Appraisal of Guidelines for Research & Evaluation II application to rehabilitation clinical practice guidelines, resulting in a final selection of 40 reviews appraising 504 clinical practice guidelines. Data were extracted from these by one author and checked by a second. Data on each clinical practice guideline included the six Appraisal of Guidelines for Research & Evaluation II domain scores, as well as the two Appraisal of Guidelines for Research & Evaluation II global evaluations. RESULTS: All six Appraisal of Guidelines for Research & Evaluation II domain scores were statistically significant predictors of overall clinical practice guideline quality rating; D3 (rigor of development) was the strongest and D1 (scope and purpose) the weakest (overall model P < 0.001, R2 = 0.53). Five of the six domain scores were significant predictors of the clinical practice guideline use recommendation, with D3 the strongest predictor and D5 (applicability) the weakest (overall model P < 0.001, pseudo R2 = 0.53). CONCLUSIONS: Quality of rehabilitation clinical practice guidelines may be improved by addressing key domains such as rigor of development.

Quality of Rehabilitation Clinical Practice Guidelines: An Overview Study of AGREE II Appraisals.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the quality of rehabilitation Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPG), specifically with respect to their applicability. DATA SOURCES: The Medline, Embase, Web of Science, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Library databases were searched for papers published between 2017 and 2019 that applied the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research & Evaluation II (AGREE II) CPG quality assessment tool to rehabilitation CPGs. STUDY SELECTION: Deduplicated abstracts (N=449) were independently screened by 2 authors, resulting in 47 articles. Independent screening of 47 full texts by 2 authors resulted in a final selection of 40 papers appraising 544 CPGs. DATA EXTRACTION: Data were extracted by 1 author using a pretested Excel form and were checked by a second author. Key data on the review papers included: purpose, methods used for finding and appraising CPGs, and observations and conclusions on CPG quality, specifically applicability. Key data on each CPG included the 6 AGREE II domain scores or 23 item scores, as well as 2 global evaluations. DATA SYNTHESIS: The mean AGREE II domain scores for the 544 CPGs (all on a 0-100 scale) were: scope and purpose (72), stakeholder involvement (53), rigor of development (56), clarity of presentation (71), applicability (34), and editorial independence (50). Only 36% of CPGs were recommended without modification. The 40 review authors generally stated that all or most of the CPGs they appraised were poor or mediocre, especially with respect to applicability. They only infrequently pointed out what information, going beyond that specified in AGREE II, would enhance applicability. CONCLUSIONS: CPGs in principle are an ideal means to move knowledge obtained from clinical research into practice. Our review of reviews of rehabilitation CPGs shows that they commonly have deficits, especially in terms of applicability. Much work needs to be done by guideline developers to make it easier for the average rehabilitation organization and clinician to implement CPGs in daily practice.

Suicidal ideation in patients with cancer: A systematic review of prevalence, risk factors, intervention and assessment.

OBJECTIVES: Suicidal ideation (SI) underlies risk of death by suicide. It is well established that patients with cancer are at increased risk of death by suicide. Therefore, understanding SI in patients with cancer is critically important. The goal of this systematic review was to investigate the prevalence, risk factors, intervention, and assessment of SI in patients with cancer. METHODS: This systematic review was registered with the PROSPERO database (CRD42018115405) and was guided by the PRISMA statement. We searched Medline, PsycInfo, Embase, CINAHL, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and Cochrane Central. Two reviewers independently screened abstracts and assessed for quality assurance using a revised Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. RESULTS: We identified 439 studies to screen for eligibility. Eligible studies included adults with cancer diagnoses and listed SI as an outcome. Ultimately, 44 studies were included in the analyses. Prevalence of SI ranged greatly from 0.7% to 46.3%. Single items drawn from validated measures were the most frequent method of assessing SI (n = 20, 45.5%); additional methods included validated measures and psychological interviews. Commonly identified risk factors for SI included age, sex, and disease/treatment-related characteristics, as well as psychological constructs including depression, anxiety, hopelessness, existential distress, and social support. SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS: Assessment of SI in patients with cancer is the concern of researchers worldwide. Prevalence of SI varied with study population and was likely influenced by the method of assessment. Psychological distress consistently predicted SI. Increasing awareness of demographic, clinical, and psychological associations is critical for risk assessment and intervention development.

Overview of pharmacological interventions after traumatic brain injuries: impact on selected outcomes.

The purpose of this study was to conduct an overview of systematic reviews (SRs) to appraise the published evidence related to pharmacological interventions after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Searches were conducted with Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, Web of Science, PubMed. 780 retrieved SRs underwent a two-level screening to determine inclusion. Data extracted included participant characteristics, TBI severity, study design, pharmacological interventions, and outcomes. SRs were assessed for methodological quality by using the AMSTAR measurement tool. After removing duplicates, 166/780 SRs published between 1990-2017 were reviewed, 62 of which met inclusion criteria. More than 90 drugs and 22 substance-classes were extracted. Most medications were administered during the acute stage. Mild TBI was included in 3% of the SRs. Physiological outcomes comprised 45% of the SRs, primarily mortality. Activities of daily living (ADLs) outcomes constituted 22% of the SRs followed by cognition (13%) and psychological/behavioral outcomes (13%). Only 7% of the SRs assessed adverse events. Inconsistencies in definitions, methods, and heterogeneity of instruments used to measure treatment response were noted. Only a third of the SRs had high methodological quality. Most SRs had heterogeneous TBI samples, outcomes, or methodologies making it difficult to synthesize findings into recommended guidelines. This study demonstrated a need for adequately powered and rigorous randomized clinical trials (RCTs) to provide generalizable evidence on the effectiveness of pharmacologic interventions for TBI. PROSPERO Registration: CRD42015017355.

Nonimmersive Brain Gaming for Older Adults With Cognitive Impairment: A Scoping Review.

BACKGROUND: Technological advances have allowed a variety of computerized cognitive training tools to be engineered in ways that are fun and entertaining yet challenging at a level that can maintain motivation and engagement. This revolution has created an opportunity for gerontological scientists to evaluate brain gaming approaches to improve cognitive and everyday function. The purpose of this scoping review is to provide a critical overview of the existing literature on nonimmersive, electronic brain gaming interventions in older adults with mild cognitive impairment or dementia. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Systematic search was conducted using 7 electronic databases from inception through July 2017. A comprehensive 2-level eligibility process was used to identify studies for inclusion based on PRISMA guidelines. RESULTS: Seventeen studies met eligibility criteria. Majority of the studies were randomized controlled trials (n = 13) and incorporated an active control (n = 9). Intervention doses ranged from 4 to 24 weeks in duration with an average of 8.4 (±5.1 standard deviation [SD]) weeks. Session durations ranged from 30 to 100 min with an average of 54 (±25 SD) minutes. Nearly half of studies included a follow-up, ranging from 3 months to 5 years (n = 8). For most studies, brain gaming improved at least one cognitive outcome (n = 12); only one study reported improvement in activities of daily living. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: This scoping review conveys the breadth of an emerging research field, which will help guide future research to develop standards and recommendations for brain gaming interventions which are currently lacking.

Reproductive Health Care in Catholic Facilities: A Scoping Review.

OBJECTIVE: Given the rise in Catholic ownership of U.S. health care facilities, we aimed to examine reproductive health care provision and patient outcomes. We performed a scoping review, which maps the literature and considers inclusion of studies that are not specifically quantitative. DATA SOURCES: We searched five databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science and Cochrane Library, ClinialTrials.gov) from inception through August 2018 using terms related to reproductive health care and religion. METHODS OF STUDY SELECTION: We screened 2,906 studies. Articles were included if in English, included primary research data, and referenced U.S.-based Catholic facilities. We reviewed the reference lists of included articles. We excluded articles that addressed the relationship of patient or health care provider religion to provision of reproductive services, described reproductive health care services in non-Catholic facilities, or reported legal cases or concerns. Two independent reviewers screened all citations, a third reviewer resolved differences, and all three reviewers categorized included citations. TABULATION, INTEGRATION, AND RESULTS: We included 27 studies. Investigators most commonly focused on the provision of emergency contraception (n=9) or other contraceptive and sterilization methods (n=7); few focused on a range of family planning methods (n=3), natural family planning (n=2), ectopic pregnancy management (n=2), abortion care (n=2), miscarriage management (n=1), and infertility care (n=1). The most common study designs were cross-sectional (18/27 [67%]) and qualitative investigations (6/27 [22%]). Common data collection approaches included surveys, interviews, and mystery caller designs. Two studies involved authors with Catholic hospital affiliations and one of these reported patient outcomes; no other patient outcome reports were found. Studies cited restrictions to care in comparison with non-Catholic settings and multisite studies demonstrated variable rates of provision of reproductive health services across Catholic sites. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the significant proportion and recent growth of Catholic health care within the U.S. health care sector, little is known about reproductive health outcomes in these settings and in comparison with other settings.

Factors Related to Physician Clinical Decision-Making for African-American and Hispanic Patients: a Qualitative Meta-Synthesis.

Clinical decision-making may have a role in racial and ethnic disparities in healthcare but has not been evaluated systematically. The purpose of this study was to synthesize qualitative studies that explore various aspects of how a patient's African-American race or Hispanic ethnicity may factor into physician clinical decision-making. Using Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Library, we identified 13 manuscripts that met inclusion criteria of usage of qualitative methods; addressed US physician clinical decision-making factors when caring for African-American, Hispanic, or Caucasian patients; and published between 2000 and 2017. We derived six fundamental themes that detail the role of patient race and ethnicity on physician decision-making, including importance of race, patient-level issues, system-level issues, bias and racism, patient values, and communication. In conclusion, a non-hierarchical system of intertwining themes influenced clinical decision-making among racial and ethnic minority patients. Future study should systematically intervene upon each theme in order to promote equitable clinical decision-making among diverse racial/ethnic patients.

Suicide and High Altitude: An Integrative Review.

Reno, Elaine, Talia L. Brown, Marian E. Betz, Michael H. Allen, Lilian Hoffecker, Jeremy Reitinger, Robert Roach, and Benjamin Honigman. Suicide and high altitude: an integrative review. High Alt Med Biol 19:99-108, 2018. INTRODUCTION: Suicide rates are greater at high altitudes, and multiple mechanisms have been suggested for this relationship, including hypoxia, differences in population density, characteristics of suicide victims, and firearms ownership and access. To better understand these potential mechanisms, studies evaluating the associations between high altitude and suicide were examined. METHODS: A literature review of published studies on high altitude and suicide was conducted in Medline, Embase, Web of Science, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and the Cochrane CENTRAL database. We extracted and analyzed all studies that met the inclusion criteria, excluding foreign language studies and letters. Most of the measurements and results were synthesized using modified Letts' criteria. RESULTS: Searches using an extensive list of keywords returned 470 articles, but only 6 met the inclusion criteria. The studies' samples ranged in size from 8871 to 596,704, while studies which did not document sample size reported suicide rates. In five of the studies selected, individuals living at high altitudes were at greater risk of suicide. Four studies used aggregated data at a county or state level to analyze variables, such as age, gender, race, socioeconomic factors, and firearms access. All the studies found that high altitude was independently associated with suicide. One study found that many individual characteristics of those who committed suicide were different at high altitudes than low altitude, including a lack of access or barriers to mental healthcare. Depression exacerbated by hypoxia was hypothesized as a possible biologic mechanism in three studies. CONCLUSION: These research studies published since 2009 support an association between high altitude and suicide rates at the state or county level, but do not provide sufficient data to estimate the effect of high altitude on an individuals' suicide risk. Although the impact of hypoxia on mood and depression has been hypothesized to be a contributing cause, many other individual factors likely play more important roles.

Associations Between Falls and Driving Outcomes in Older Adults: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVES: To examine associations between falls and subsequent motor vehicle crashes (MVCs), crash-related injuries, driving performance, and driving behavior. DESIGN: Systematic review and metaanalysis. PARTICIPANTS: Observational studies including drivers aged 55 and older or with a mean age of 65 and older. MEASUREMENTS: Two authors independently extracted study and participant characteristics, exposures, and outcomes and assessed risk of bias. Pooled risk estimates for MVCs and MVC-related injuries were calculated using random-effects models. Other results were synthesized narratively. RESULTS: From 3,286 potentially eligible records, 15 studies (N = 27-17,349 subjects) met inclusion criteria. Risk of bias was low to moderate, except for cross-sectional studies (n = 3), which all had a high potential for bias. A fall history was associated with a significantly greater risk of subsequent MVC (summary risk estimate = 1.40, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.20-1.63; I2  = 28%, N = 5 studies). One study found a significantly greater risk of MVC-related hospitalizations and deaths after a fall (hazard ratio = 3.12, 95% CI = 1.71-5.69). Evidence was inconclusive regarding an association between falls and driving cessation and showed no association between falls and driving performance or behavior. CONCLUSION: Falls in older adults appear to be a risk marker for subsequent MVCs and MVC-related injury. Given the nature of the evidence, which is limited to observational studies, the identified associations may also result at least partly from confounding or bias. Further research is needed to clarify the mechanisms linking falls to crash risk and to develop effective interventions to ensure driving safety in older adults with a history of falls.

Patient Outcomes in Dose Reduction or Discontinuation of Long-Term Opioid Therapy: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Expert guidelines recommend reducing or discontinuing long-term opioid therapy (LTOT) when risks outweigh benefits, but evidence on the effect of dose reduction on patient outcomes has not been systematically reviewed. PURPOSE: To synthesize studies of the effectiveness of strategies to reduce or discontinue LTOT and patient outcomes after dose reduction among adults prescribed LTOT for chronic pain. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Library from inception through April 2017; reference lists; and expert contacts. STUDY SELECTION: Original research published in English that addressed dose reduction or discontinuation of LTOT for chronic pain. DATA EXTRACTION: Two independent reviewers extracted data and assessed study quality using the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force quality rating criteria. All authors assessed evidence quality using the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) system. Prespecified patient outcomes were pain severity, function, quality of life, opioid withdrawal symptoms, substance use, and adverse events. DATA SYNTHESIS: Sixty-seven studies (11 randomized trials and 56 observational studies) examining 8 intervention categories, including interdisciplinary pain programs, buprenorphine-assisted dose reduction, and behavioral interventions, were found. Study quality was good for 3 studies, fair for 13 studies, and poor for 51 studies. Many studies reported dose reduction, but rates of opioid discontinuation ranged widely across interventions and the overall quality of evidence was very low. Among 40 studies examining patient outcomes after dose reduction (very low overall quality of evidence), improvement was reported in pain severity (8 of 8 fair-quality studies), function (5 of 5 fair-quality studies), and quality of life (3 of 3 fair-quality studies). LIMITATION: Heterogeneous interventions and outcome measures; poor-quality studies with uncontrolled designs. CONCLUSION: Very low quality evidence suggests that several types of interventions may be effective to reduce or discontinue LTOT and that pain, function, and quality of life may improve with opioid dose reduction. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE: Veterans Health Administration. (PROSPERO: CRD42015020347).

Spinopelvic Parameters in Asymptomatic Subjects Without Spine Disease and Deformity: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis.

STUDY DESIGN: A systematic review with meta-analysis. OBJECTIVE: To combine published data, focusing on the development of optimal spinopelvic parameters in adult asymptomatic subjects without spine deformity while taking into consideration the impact of potential confounders. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: A well-grounded approach to define the optimal spinopelvic parameters is necessary for planning surgical correction of spine deformity. MATERIALS: Selection criteria: (1) randomized and nonrandomized prospective, cross-sectional, and retrospective studies; (2) participants: asymptomatic subjects without spine deformity aged above 18 years; (3) studied parameters: lumbar lordosis (LL), pelvic incidence, sacral slope, and pelvic tilt; (4) potential confounders: method of measurement, sex, age, ethnicity, weight, height, and body mass index. Search method: Ovid MEDLINE (1946-current) and EMBASE (1980-current), all years through October 2015 were included. Data were collected: number of enrolled subjects, means of the studied characteristics, SD, SE of the means, 95% confidence intervals. A meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the pooled means and range of optimal values (pooled mean±pooled SD) taking into consideration the impact of confounders. The GRADE approach was applied to evaluate the level of evidence. RESULTS: Seventeen of 1018 studies were included (2926 subjects from 9 countries). The pooled means and the optimal ranges were: LL (L1-S1), 54.6 (42-67) degrees; LL (L1-L5), 37.0 (22-53) degrees; pelvic incidence, 50.6 (39-62) degrees; sacral slope, 37.7 (28-48) degrees; pelvic tilt, 12.6 (3-22) degrees. The pooled results were statistically significant (P<0.001), but heterogeneous. Impact of the following confounders was revealed: method of measurement, ethnicity, age, and body mass index. A methodology was created to define an individualized optimal value and range of each studied parameter taking into consideration the influence of confounders. CONCLUSIONS: The pooled results and developed methodology can be used as diagnostic criteria for evaluation of the spinopelvic parameters, planning of surgical interventions and evaluation of the treatment effect.

Use of Electronic Health Records by Nurses for Symptom Management in Inpatient Settings: A Systematic Review.

Symptom management is one of the essential functions of nurses in inpatient settings; yet, little is understood about the manner in which nurses use electronic health records for symptom documentation. Therefore, the purpose of this systematic review is to characterize nurses' use of electronic health records for documentation of symptom assessment and management in inpatient settings, to inform design studies that better support electronic health records for patient symptom management by nurses. We searched the Ovid Medline (1946-current), Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (EBSCO, 1981-current), and Excerpta Medica Database (Embase.com, 1974-current) databases from inception through May 2015 using multiple subject headings and "free text" key words, representing the concepts of electronic medical records, symptom documentation, and inpatient setting. One thousand nine hundred eighty-two articles were returned from the search. Eighteen publications from the years 2003 to 2014 were included after abstract and full text review. Studies heavily focused on a pain as symptom. Nurses face challenges when using electronic health records that can threaten quality and safety of care. Clinical, design, and administrative recommendations were identified to overcome the challenges of nurses' electronic health record use. A call for interdisciplinary, comprehensive, systematic interventions and user-centered design of information systems is needed.

From English to Chinese, Japanese, and Russian: extending research visibility with language translations of a conference slide presentation.

OBJECTIVE: The research demonstrates that a conference slide presentation translated into non-English languages reaches significantly larger and different audiences than an English presentation alone. METHODS: The slides of a presentation from the Medical Library Association annual meeting were translated from English to Chinese, Japanese, and Russian and posted along with the English version to SlideShare, an open slide-hosting website. View counts, traffic sources, and geographic origins of the traffic for each language version were tracked over a twenty-two-month period. RESULTS: Total view counts for all 4 language versions amounted to 3,357 views, with the Chinese version accounting for 71% of the total views. The trends in view counts over time for the Japanese, Russian, and English versions were similar, with high interest at the beginning and a rapid drop and low level of viewing activity thereafter. The pattern of view counts for the Chinese version departed considerably from the other language versions, with very low activity at the beginning but a sharp rise 10 months later. This increase in activity was related to access to the presentations via a Taiwanese website that embedded the SlideShare website code. CONCLUSIONS: Language translation can be a difficult and time-consuming task. However, translation of a conference slide presentation with limited text is an achievable activity and engages an international audience for information that is often not noticed or lost. Although English is by far the primary language of science and other disciplines, it is not necessarily the first or preferred language of global researchers. By offering appropriate language versions, the authors of presentations can expand the reach of their work.

Conservative Care in Lumbar Spine Surgery Trials: A Descriptive Literature Review.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the degree to which conservative care and failure were specifically defined in studies comparing nonoperative treatment versus surgery for low back pain (LBP) conditions in adults. DATA SOURCES: A comprehensive literature search was conducted by an experienced librarian using MEDLINE (PubMed), Embase, Google Scholar, and CENTRAL from January 2003 to June 2014. Endnote bibliographic management application was used to remove duplicates and organize the citations. STUDY SELECTION: Prospective, randomized, or cohort trials comparing surgery versus conservative intervention for patients with LBP conditions. Study selection was conducted by 2 independent reviewers. DATA EXTRACTION: Three independent reviewers extracted data from each article using a structured data extraction form. Data extracted included type of study, participant characteristics, sample size, description, and duration of conservative care and whether failed conservative care criterion was defined. DATA SYNTHESIS: A total of 852 unique records were screened for eligibility; of those, 72 articles were identified for further full-text review. Thirty-four full texts were excluded based on the exclusion criteria, and 38 articles, representing 20 unique studies, were included for qualitative synthesis. Fifteen of the 20 studies defined the duration of conservative care. Only 3 studies defined the dosage of physical therapy sessions, including total number of visits and visit duration. Two studies described medication usage, including the duration and type. No studies specifically defined what constituted failed conservative therapy. CONCLUSIONS: This literature review suggests conservative care is poorly defined in randomized trials, which can lead to ambiguity of research procedures and unclear guidelines for clinicians. Future studies should increase transparency and explicitly define conservative care.

Predictors of spine deformity progression in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: A systematic review with meta-analysis.

AIM: To evaluate published data on the predictors of progressive adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) in order to evaluate their efficacy and level of evidence. SELECTION CRITERIA: (1) study design: randomized controlled clinical trials, prospective cohort studies and case series, retrospective comparative and none comparative studies; (2) participants: adolescents with AIS aged from 10 to 20 years; and (3) treatment: observation, bracing, and other. SEARCH METHOD: Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, the Cochrane Library, PubMed and patent data bases. All years through August 2014 were included. Data were collected that showed an association between the studied characteristics and the progression of AIS or the severity of the spine deformity. Odds ratio (OR), sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were also collected. A meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the pooled OR and predictive values, if more than 1 study presented a result. The GRADE approach was applied to evaluate the level of evidence. RESULTS: The review included 25 studies. All studies showed statistically significant or borderline association between severity or progression of AIS with the following characteristics: (1) An increase of the Cobb angle or axial rotation during brace treatment; (2) decrease of the rib-vertebral angle at the apical level of the convex side during brace treatment; (3) initial Cobb angle severity (> 25(o)); (4) osteopenia; (5) patient age < 13 years at diagnosis; (6) premenarche status; (7) skeletal immaturity; (8) thoracic deformity; (9) brain stem vestibular dysfunction; and (10) multiple indices combining radiographic, demographic, and physiologic characteristics. Single nucleotide polymorphisms of the following genes: (1) calmodulin 1; (2) estrogen receptor 1; (3) tryptophan hydroxylase 1; (3) insulin-like growth factor 1; (5) neurotrophin 3; (6) interleukin-17 receptor C; (7) melatonin receptor 1B, and (8) ScoliScore test. Other predictors included: (1) impairment of melatonin signaling in osteoblasts and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC); (2) G-protein signaling dysfunction in PBMC; and (3) the level of platelet calmodulin. However, predictive values of all these findings were limited, and the levels of evidence were low. The pooled result of brace treatment outcomes demonstrated that around 27% of patents with AIS experienced exacerbation of the spine deformity during or after brace treatment, and 15% required surgical correction. However, the level of evidence is also low due to the limitations of the included studies. CONCLUSION: This review did not reveal any methods for the prediction of progression in AIS that could be recommended for clinical use as diagnostic criteria.