Comparing patient-reported outcomes of the Oxford Ankle and Foot Questionnaire in children with clubfoot from two different geographic and cultural environments: a cohort study in India and Canada.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to compare the results of the Oxford Ankle and Foot Questionnaire (OxAFQ) in children with clubfoot in Canada and India to assess its ability to predict outcomes and capture patient experiences in different cultural contexts. METHODS: This is a retrospective study of children with clubfoot in India and Canada who completed the OxAFQ. Statistical analyses were implemented on registry-collected data to test for independent predictors of poor outcomes and compare scores between countries, among children and their parents, and in Canada where relapse data was collected and the effect of a relapse on scores. RESULTS: A total of 361 children were included. The mean Indian OxAFQ scores were higher (p < 0.001) in all domains. Pirani score, tenotomy, laterality, and age at presentation were found to be predictive of outcomes between the sites (p < 0.05). OxAFQ scores decreased after relapse for children in Canada (p < 0.05). Canadian children were found to generally have lower OxAFQ scores in all domains compared to their parents (n = 95; Z = -3.178, -3.493, -3.353, and -3.635 for physical, school and play, emotion, and footwear, respectively; p < 0.001). Indian parents and children showed no significant differences in their scores. CONCLUSIONS: A difference was observed in scores between both sites, suggesting there may be differences in how these populations assess personal health outcomes. These findings support the need for cultural validity of patient-reported outcome measures.

A taxonomic review of the fish parasitic isopod family Cymothoidae Leach, 1818 (Crustacea: Isopoda: Cymothooidea) of India.

The parasitic isopod family Cymothoidae Leach, 1818 of the India exclusive economic zone is reviewed. A total of 56 nominal species corresponding to 48 valid species belonging to sixteen genera are reviewed from 73 host species belonging to 35 families. Mothocya plagulophora (Haller, 1880), Nerocila depressa Milne Edwards, 1840, Nerocila loveni Bovallius, 1887, Nerocila trichiura (Miers, 1877), Norileca triangulata (Richardson, 1910) and Ryukyua globosa Williams Bunkley-Williams, 1994 are redescribed. Indusa pustulosa Pillai, 1954 is synonymised with Agarna malayi Tiwari, 1952; Cymothoa krishnai Jayadev Babu Sanjeeva Raj, 1984 is synonymised with Cymothoa eremita (Brünnich, 1783) and Nerocila priacanthusi Kumari, Rao Shyamasundari, 1987 is synonymised with Nerocila arres Bowman Tareen, 1983. Ourozeuktes bopyroides (Lesueur, 1814) is revised and excluded from the Indian fauna. The Indian cymothoid species Agarna bengalensis Kumari, Rao Shaymasundari, 1990, Cymothoa asymmetrica Pillai, 1954 and Nerocila hemirhamphusi Shyamasundari, Rao Kumari, 1990 are regarded here as species inquirenda. A key to the Indian genera of the family Cymothoidae and keys to the Indian species of the genera Cymothoa, Joryma, Mothocya, and Nerocila are presented. A checklist of the valid Cymothoidae species until now reported from Indian marine fishes are compiled. Host preferences, morphological variability and distribution are discussed.

Redescription of Ryukyua circularis (Pillai, 1954) (Isopoda, Cymothoidae), parasite of the Bleeker smoothbelly sardinella Amblygaster clupeoides Bleeker, 1849 from India.

Ryukyua circularis (Pillai, 1954) is recorded here for the first time on the host Amblygaster clupeoides Bleeker, 1849 from Indian waters. The species is redescribed with illustrations of the gravid female, adult male and manca from its type locality, and the known hosts and geographical records of the species are reviewed. Ryukyua circularis is readily identified from the oval to rounded body shape, widest at pereonite 3-5; cephalon deeply immersed in pereonite 1; mandible palp with the spiny surface, article 3 with a long terminal setae; pleonite 1-3 partially overlapped by a posterolateral margin of pereonite 7; pleotelson anterior lateral margins weakly convex, posterior margin evenly rounded, without median point.