Recovery of the Japanese orthopedic association back pain evaluation questionnaire score and walking ability following lumbar spinal stenosis surgery.

PURPOSE: We investigated the recovery of the Japanese orthopedic association back pain evaluation questionnaire (JOABPEQ) scores and 6 min walk distance (6MWD) in patients after surgery for lumbar spinal stenosis and identified the items among 25 questions of JOABPEQ that showed recovery. METHODS: A total of 227 patients (average age 71.5 years; SD: 7.5; 121 men) were included from a single center. The outcome measures were JOABPEQ, visual analog scale (VAS), and 6MWD and obtained preoperatively and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. Mixed-model repeated measures were used to compare the variables at each time point between the surgery groups. RESULTS: The JOABPEQ, VAS, and 6MWD scores generally improved at 1 month postoperatively compared with those obtained preoperatively, and some parameters further improved at 3 months. However, improvement in the lumbar spine dysfunction item of JOABPEQ was delayed, showing improvement at 3 months postoperatively for decompression surgery (average score: pre, 64.6; 3 months, 78.5) and 6 months postoperatively for fusion surgery (average score: Pre, 64.3; 6 months, 77.1). Responses to the individual JOABPEQ questions generally improved after surgery. No significant changes in lumbar spine dysfunction occurred in the fusion group. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrated the early postoperative recovery course of JOABPEQ and 6MWD. In the fusion group, significant changes in lumbar spine dysfunction started at 6 months postoperatively. These findings could help medical staff explain postoperative recovery to patients after lumbar spinal stenosis surgery and in their decision making regarding surgery.

Cross-cultural adaptation of The Japanese Orthopaedic Association Back Pain Evaluation Questionnaire: A methodological systematic review.

BACKGROUND: The Japanese Orthopaedic Association Back Pain Evaluation Questionnaire (JOABPEQ) is a reliable and sensitive measure of disability to determine functional status and evaluate curative effects in low back pain, it has now been cross-cultural translated into many other languages and adapted for use in different countries. We aim to evaluate the translation procedures and measurement properties of cross-cultural adaptations of the JOABPEQ. METHODS: Studies related to cross-cultural adaptation of the JOABPEQ in a specific language/culture were searched in PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, SciELO, PsycINFO, SinoMed, and Web of Science from their inception to March 2022. The Guidelines for the Process of Cross-Cultural Adaptation of Self-Report Measures and the Consensus-based Standards for the Selection of Health Status Measurement Instruments guideline were used for evaluation. RESULTS: Nine different versions of cross-cultural JOABPEQ adaptations in 8 different languages/cultures were included. The adaptation process was not strictly performed, such as standard forward translation and expert committee review were rarely reported. Content validity (8/9), floor and ceiling effects (3/9), reliability (4/9), and interpretability (6/9) were assessed in most of the adaptations, while agreement (2/9), responsiveness (2/9), and the internal consistency (2/9) were not. JOABPEQ can replace functional and quality of life score to reduce the burden of scientific research. CONCLUSION: We recommend Persian-Iranian, simplified Chinese-Chinese Mandarin, Thai and Gunaydin G's Turkish adaptations for application. The numerical pain rating scale/visual analogue scale in low back pain and lower extremities, as well as numbness in lower extremities could not be neglected in JOABPEQ adaptations.

Responsiveness of the Zurich Claudication Questionnaire, the Oswestry Disability Index, the Japanese Orthopaedic Association Back Pain Evaluation Questionnaire, the 8-Item Short Form Health Survey, and the Euroqol 5 dimensions 5 level in the assessment of patients with lumbar spinal stenosis.

PURPOSE: To assess the responsiveness of the Zurich Claudication Questionnaire (ZCQ), the Oswestry Disability Index, the Japanese Orthopaedic Association Back Pain Evaluation Questionnaire, the visual analog scale (VAS), the 8-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-8), and the EuroQol 5 dimensions 5 level as methods of assessing outcomes of surgery for lumbar spinal stenosis. METHODS: We analyzed 218 patients who had undergone lumbar surgery for spinal stenosis and completed one year of follow-up. The internal responsiveness of each questionnaire and any domains was assessed by the effect size and standardized response mean. External responsiveness was assessed by the Spearman rank correlation coefficient and the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve. RESULTS: The most responsive assessments were "symptom severity" and "physical function" on the ZCQ, "walking ability" on the JOABPEQ, "leg pain" on the VAS, and "social function" on the JOABPEQ. The moderately responsive assessments were the physical component summary on the SF-8, the ODI, the EQ5D-5L, "low back pain" on the JOABPEQ, and "leg numbness" on the VAS. The least responsive assessments were "low back pain" on the VAS, "mental health" and "lumbar function" on the JOABPEQ, and the mental component summary on the SF-8. CONCLUSIONS: Because of its high responsiveness, "symptom severity" on the ZCQ is recommended as a primary tool for assessing outcome when designing prospective studies for lumbar spinal stenosis.

Association between low back pain and quality of life in patients with rheumatoid arthritis according to patient-reported outcomes using the Japanese Orthopaedic Association Back Pain Evaluation Questionnaire (JOABPEQ): A cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate factors associated with low back pain (LBP) and effect on quality of life (QOL) using patient-reported outcome in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: Overall, 414 patients with RA who answered the Japanese Orthopedic Association Back Pain Evaluation Questionnaire (JOABPEQ) were included in this study. LBP-positive was defined a visual analog scale (VAS) of LBP (LBP VAS) of ≥ 30 mm. RESULTS: The rate of LBP-positive group was 24.9%. Body mass index (BMI) (odds ratio [OR]: 1.116), tender joint count (TJC) (OR: 1.598), global VAS (OR: 1.016), and Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index (HAQ-DI) (OR: 2.392) were found as significant LBP-associated factors. When adjusted for sex and van der Heijde-modified total Sharp score, BMI (OR: 1.120), TJC (OR: 1.619), global VAS (OR: 1.016), pain VAS (OR: 1.015), and HAQ-DI (OR: 2.312) were found to be the significant factors associated with LBP. Moreover, LBP VAS had relatively high correlations in all domains of the JOABPEQ scores (correlation coefficient: LBP, -0.601; lumbar function, -0.624; walking ability, -0.548; social life function, -0.479; and mental health, -0.463). CONCLUSIONS: This study investigated the effect of LBP in patients with RA. The results of this study indicate that LBP is associated with the physical function and QOL in patients with RA. We believe that our results will be useful for physical function and QOL assessments in patients with RA with LBP.

Variability in the utility of predictive models in predicting patient-reported outcomes following spine surgery for degenerative conditions: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVEThere is increasing emphasis on patient-reported outcomes (PROs) to quantitatively evaluate quality outcomes from degenerative spine surgery. However, accurate prediction of PROs is challenging due to heterogeneity in outcome measures, patient characteristics, treatment characteristics, and methodological characteristics. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the current landscape of independently validated predictive models for PROs in elective degenerative spinal surgery with respect to study design and model generation, training, accuracy, reliability, variance, and utility.METHODSThe authors analyzed the current predictive models in PROs by performing a search of the PubMed and Ovid databases using PRISMA guidelines and a PICOS (participants, intervention, comparison, outcomes, study design) model. They assessed the common outcomes and variables used across models as well as the study design and internal validation methods.RESULTSA total of 7 articles met the inclusion criteria, including a total of 17 validated predictive models of PROs after adult degenerative spine surgery. National registry databases were used in 4 of the studies. Validation cohorts were used in 2 studies for model verification and 5 studies used other methods, including random sample bootstrapping techniques. Reported c-index values ranged from 0.47 to 0.79. Two studies report the area under the curve (0.71-0.83) and one reports a misclassification rate (9.9%). Several positive predictors, including high baseline pain intensity and disability, demonstrated high likelihood of favorable PROs.CONCLUSIONSA limited but effective cohort of validated predictive models of spine surgical outcomes had proven good predictability for PROs. Instruments with predictive accuracy can enhance shared decision-making, improve rehabilitation, and inform best practices in the setting of heterogeneous patient characteristics and surgical factors.

The reliability and validity of the Korean version of the Japanese orthopaedic association back pain evaluation questionnaire.

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to establish the reliability and validity of the Japanese Orthopaedic Association Back Pain Evaluation Questionnaire (JOABPEQ) translated into Korean for use with patients' low back pain. [Subjects and Methods] Sixty-two subjects with low back pain, 28 men and 34 women, participated in the study. Reliability was determined by using the intra class correlation coefficient and Cronbach's alpha for internal consistency. Validity was examined by correlating the JOABPEQ scores with the 36 item short form health survey (SF 36). [Results] Test-retest reliability was 0.75-0.83. The criterion-related validity was established by comparison with the Korean version of the SF 36. [Conclusion] The Korean version of the JOABPEQ was shown to be a reliable and valid instrument for assessing low back pain.

Automated entry of paper-based patient-reported outcomes: Applying deep learning to the Japanese orthopaedic association back pain evaluation questionnaire.

BACKGROUND: Health-related patient-reported outcomes (HR-PROs) are crucial for assessing the quality of life among individuals experiencing low back pain. However, manual data entry from paper forms, while convenient for patients, imposes a considerable tallying burden on collectors. In this study, we developed a deep learning (DL) model capable of automatically reading these paper forms. METHODS: We employed the Japanese Orthopaedic Association Back Pain Evaluation Questionnaire, a globally recognized assessment tool for low back pain. The questionnaire comprised 25 low back pain-related multiple-choice questions and three pain-related visual analog scales (VASs). We collected 1305 forms from an academic medical center as the training set, and 483 forms from a community medical center as the test set. The performance of our DL model for multiple-choice questions was evaluated using accuracy as a categorical classification task. The performance for VASs was evaluated using the correlation coefficient and absolute error as regression tasks. RESULT: In external validation, the mean accuracy of the categorical questions was 0.997. When outputs for categorical questions with low probability (threshold: 0.9996) were excluded, the accuracy reached 1.000 for the remaining 65 % of questions. Regarding the VASs, the average of the correlation coefficients was 0.989, with the mean absolute error being 0.25. CONCLUSION: Our DL model demonstrated remarkable accuracy and correlation coefficients when automatic reading paper-based HR-PROs during external validation.

Autograft and allograft bone chips interbody fusion for spondylodiscitis: Surgery outcomes.

Background: Spondylodiscitis is a rare illness and serious complication of the vertebral column. The suitable type of surgery is debatable for these patients. This study describes a series of cases that are treated with modified interbody fusion for the treatment of spondylodiscitis by combining allograft and autograft bone chips with posterior segmental fusion. Methods: This was a retrospective study. The clinical deficit was evaluated with ASIA, VAS, and JOABPEQ scores before and after surgery. Radiological parameters were assessed with local kyphosis angle (degree), segmental height correction, and loss of correction. Post-operative bone union was evaluated as suggested by Tan et al. Results: The mean age of patients (n=34) was 52.3(SD=13.6) years and 67.6% were males. The mean follow-up duration was 25.8 (2.3) months. In the last follow-up, VAS back pain 4.9(0.77), VAS leg pain 4.6(0.78), JOABPEQ low back pain 68.1 (9.3), JOABPEQ lumbar function 81.3 (8.9), and JOABPEQ walking ability 72.8 (8.3) shows a significant difference when compared with preoperative scores. According to ASIA grading, none of the patients deteriorated neurologically (all p<0.0001). The average segmental height correction and loss of correction were observed 7.5(3.7) % and -1.8(3.6) %, respectively, indicating improvements in the patients. A high union fusion rate (82.4%) was observed in the last follow-up. Conclusion: This modified method can be a safe and effective technique for surgical intervention in patients with spondylodiscitis.

Minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion - A narrative review on the present status.

Minimally invasive lumbar transforaminal interbody fusion (MIS TLIF) has become the most commonly performed lumbar fusion procedure. There are multiple variables such as bone graft properties, use of rhBMP (recombinant human bone morphogenic protein), interbody cage properties, image guidance techniques, etc., that may impact the outcomes and fusion rates. Radiation exposure to the patient as well as to the operating team is an important concern. The minimally invasive anterior approaches for lumbar fusion with ability to insert larger cages and achieve better sagittal correction have added another option in management of lumbar degenerative deformities. A literature review of recent studies and systematic reviews on different aspects impacting the outcomes of MIS TLIF has been done to define the present status of the procedure in this narrative review. Iliac crest bone graft can help achieve very good fusion rate without significantly increasing the morbidity. RhBMP is most potent enhancer of fusion and the adverse effects can be avoided by surgical technique and using lower dose. The use of navigation techniques has reduced the radiation exposure to patient and the surgeons but the benefit seems to be significant only in long segment fusions.

Functional Outcome of Surgical versus Conservative Therapy in Patients with Traumatic Thoracolumbar Fractures and Thoracolumbar Injury Classification and Severity Score of 4; A Non-randomized Clinical Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effectiveness of surgical intervention to conservative treatment in patients with thoracolumbar fracture and thoracolumbar injury classification and severity score (TLICS) of 4. METHODS: Twenty-five patients with TLICS 4 were enrolled in this non-randomized clinical trial. Based on clinical symptoms and radiologic findings, patients were considered under surgical or conservative treatments. The JOA Back Pain Evaluation Questionnaire (JOABPEQ) was assessed at baseline and at 3, 6, 12 months after treatment. A 20-point improvement from the baseline JOABPEQ scores was considered as clinical success in both the conservative and surgery groups. Additionally, residual canal, angulations and height loss were determined in all patients. RESULTS: Eight patients received conservative and 17 surgical treatment. Both study groups were comparable regarding the baseline characteristics. Both study demonstrated treatment success, regarding functional recovery when compared to baseline (p<0.001). However, those undergoing surgical intervention had significantly better JOABPEQ score (p<0.001) and higher residual canal (p=0.042) when compared to those receiving conservative therapy. The success rate of treatment was comparable between the two study groups in 6- (p=0.998) and 12-month (p=0.852) intervals; however, surgical therapy had significantly higher success arte in 3-month interval (p=0.031). CONCLUSION: Our findings revealed that surgical treatment was preferred more in comparison to conservative treatment in patients with TLICS 4. Additionally, residual canal might be a modifying factor to decide the ideal therapeutic approach.

Outcome measures reflecting patient satisfaction following decompression surgery for lumbar spinal stenosis: Comparison of major outcome measures.

OBJECTIVE: Decompression surgery is the standard treatment for lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS); however, despite the good clinical outcomes reported for this procedure, a relatively high dissatisfaction rate has been reported. We hypothesized that the previously used outcome measures do not accurately reflect patient satisfaction (PS). This study aimed to examine which outcome measures reflect PS accurately in patients undergoing decompression for LSS. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with LSS treated with lumbar decompression surgery between January 2014 and March 2016 were enrolled if they had the preoperative and final follow-up questionnaires including the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ), Japanese Orthopaedic Association Back Pain Evaluation Questionnaire (JOABPEQ), and Short Form-8 (SF-8). PS was evaluated using the question, "How satisfied are you with the overall result of your back operation?". There are four possible answers consisting of "very satisfied (4-point)", "somewhat satisfied (3-point)", "somewhat dissatisfied (2-point)", or "very dissatisfied (1-point)". The Spearman correlation coefficient between PS and each questionnaire was calculated. RESULTS: Postoperative JOABPEQ had strong correlation with PS (r > 0.6) whereas NRS, RMDQ and SF-8 had moderate correlation (0.4

Emotional Effects on Factors Associated with Chronic Low Back Pain.

PURPOSE: Although chronic low back pain (CLBP) has profound effects on patients, society, and economy, its causes are difficult to identify. Psychogenic effects or social stress is known to affect CLBP; hence, investigation of its underlying causes requires a multifactorial approach. We determined the factors associated with CLBP by using an Internet-based survey. To prevent CLBP, we need to understand its cause and background. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 1000 participants either with (+) or without (-) CLBP answered the Japanese Orthopaedic Association Back Pain Evaluation Questionnaire (JOABPEQ), which assesses five domains of CLBP: low back pain, lumbar function, walking ability, social life function and mental health. We also administered a new questionnaire for participants, that comprised five different domains: Body, Lifestyle, Emotion, Diet, and Social. To evaluate psychogenic effects on CLBP, we added two original factors, namely outshout and HIE, which have not yet been studied. HIE is a traditional concept (sense) of "feeling cold" or "chilly." All participants completed both questionnaires. RESULTS: Multivariate logistic regression analysis extracted four factors (sleep, room temperature, outshout, and HIE) that were associated with CLBP. The mental health domain was assessed using the JOABPEQ for each of these factors. The factors outshout and HIE differed between CLBP (+) and CLBP (-) patients. CLBP (-) participants also showed a difference in Sleep and HIE factors. CONCLUSION: Among psychogenic effects, Emotion was common to all the four extracted factors. There was no common physical divisor. Therefore, we hypothesized that acute low back pain might develop into CLBP in the presence of psychological stress or other emotional factors such as outshout or HIE. Hence, we need to consider both physical and psychogenic effects in the prevention and treatment of CLBP. Furthermore, appropriate evaluation and treatment of psychological stress may be effective in reducing CLBP.

Responsiveness of the Japanese Orthopaedic Association Back Pain Evaluation Questionnaire in lumbar surgery and its threshold for indicating clinically important differences.

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Introduced in 2007, the Japanese Orthopaedic Association Back Pain Evaluation Questionnaire (JOABPEQ) has been widely used, but its psychometric properties have not been well studied. PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to assess the responsiveness of the JOABPEQ in lumbar surgery and its threshold for indicating clinically important differences. STUDY DESIGN: This is a prospective study. PATIENT SAMPLE: Two hundred three consecutive patients underwent lumbar surgeries between July 2013 and November 2015 in a single hospital. Of the 203 patients, 181 patients who completed 1 year of follow-up were included. OUTCOME MEASURES: Before and after surgery, the patients were asked to complete the questionnaire, including JOABPEQ, the 8-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-8), and EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D). The participants were divided into five anchoring groups, ranging from "much better" to "much worse," according to reports from both physicians and patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The responsiveness of measures was compared among five domains of the JOABPEQ ("low back pain," "walking ability," "lumbar function," "social function," and "mental health"), two domains of the SF-8 (the physical component summary [PCS] and the mental component summary [MCS]), and the EQ-5D. The responsiveness was assessed by the paired t test, the effect size, and the standardized response mean. The Spearman rank correlation coefficient and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were assessed using the five anchoring groups as external criteria. The clinically important differences, based on the ROC curve, were assessed. RESULTS: Walking ability was most responsive, followed by low back pain and the PCS. The MCS was least responsive, followed by mental health and lumbar function. Social function and the EQ-5D had intermediate-level responsiveness. The substantial clinically important differences occurred at 20 points for low back pain and lumbar function, 23 points for walking ability, 14 points for social function, and 8 points for mental health. CONCLUSIONS: The JOABPEQ domains are responsive measures in patients who undergo lumbar surgery. For physical function, the threshold for substantial clinically important differences was approximately 20 points for the JOABPEQ.

Impact of knee osteoarthritis on surgical outcomes of lumbar spinal canal stenosis.

OBJECTIVE: Lumbar spinal canal stenosis (LSS) and knee osteoarthritis (KOA), both of which are age-related degenerative diseases, are independently correlated with increased pain and dysfunction of the lower extremities. However, there have been few studies that investigated whether LSS patients with KOA exhibit poor clinical recovery following lumbar spinal surgery. The aim of this study was to elucidate the surgical outcomes of lumbar spinal surgery for LSS patients with KOA using multiple health-related quality of life (HRQOL) parameters. METHODS: A total of 865 consecutive patients who underwent posterior lumbar spinal surgery for LSS were retrospectively reviewed. Baseline characteristics, radiographic parameters, perioperative factors, and multiple HRQOL parameters were analyzed preoperatively and at 1-year follow-up. HRQOL items included the Zurich Claudication Questionnaire, Oswestry Disability Index, Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), and Japanese Orthopaedic Association Back Pain Evaluation Questionnaire (JOABPEQ). The effectiveness of surgical treatment was assessed using the JOABPEQ. The treatment was regarded as effective when it resulted in an increase in postoperative JOABPEQ score by ≥ 20 points compared with preoperative score or achievement of a postoperative score of ≥ 90 points in those with a preoperative score of < 90 points. RESULTS: A total of 32 LSS patients with KOA were identified, and 128 age- and sex-matched LSS patients without KOA were selected as controls. In both groups, all HRQOL parameters markedly improved at the 1-year follow-up. On the SF-36, the postoperative mean score for the role physical domain was significantly lower in the KOA group than in the control group (p = 0.034). The treatment was significantly less "effective" in the social life domain of JOABPEQ in the KOA group than in the control group (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The surgical outcomes of LSS patients with KOA are favorable, although poorer than those of LSS patients without KOA, particularly in terms of social life and activities. These results indicate that LSS patients with KOA experience difficulty in routine work or ordinary activities due to knee pain or restricted knee ROM even after lumbar spinal surgery. Hence, preoperative KOA status warrants consideration when planning lumbar spinal surgery and estimating surgical outcomes of LSS.

Determination of minimally clinically important differences for JOABPEQ measure after discectomy in patients with lumbar disc herniation.

BACKGROUND: It is crucial to define if changes in patient-reported outcome (PRO) measure correspond to relevant clinical improvements. Aim of this study was to determine minimally clinically important differences (MCID) of the Japanese Orthopedic Association Back Pain Evaluation Questionnaire (JOABPEQ) in patients with lumbar disc herniation (LDH) to assess surgical success. METHODS: A total of 127 patients with LDH consecutively referred to our clinic were enrolled into this prospective study between March 2012 and August 2015. All participants completed the JOABPEQ and the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) score before surgery, and at 1 year after surgery. Surgical success was defined based on clinical consensus of the team and be used as anchor. The MCID value of the JOABPEQ subscales were estimated using two anchor-based methods: (I) average change procedure (responsiveness); and (II) receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 51.2±9.4 years, and there were 68 (53.5%) male. A total of 83.5% (106 cases) showed improvement based on the clinical consensus of the spine surgeon team at last follow-up. To assess surgical success, the two MCID calculation methods generated two optimal prediction thresholds on the JOABPEQ subscales (low back pain: 19.1, 22.4; lumbar function: 21.3, 24.2; walking ability: 24.5, 27.9; social life function: 14.3, 17.1; and mental health: 12.8, 14.8) for ROC analysis and average change procedure, respectively (P<0.002 for all of subscales in two methods). For all five subscales, the sensitivity and specificity were between 61.2 and 81.1 with AUC greater than 0.70. CONCLUSIONS: These findings support the value of the MCID to assess surgical success for the JOABPEQ subscales in patients with LDH. This estimate may be a useful tool in clinical practice.

A double-blind randomized controlled trial of the local application of vancomycin versus ampicillin powder into the operative field for thoracic and/or lumbar fusions.

OBJECTIVERetrospective studies have reported that the local application of vancomycin (VCM) powder into the operative field decreases the incidence of surgical site infection (SSI) in thoracic and/or lumbar fusion. Authors of the present study prospectively evaluated the effects of VCM in patients undergoing thoracic and/or lumbar fusion.METHODSIn this randomized double-blind trial, 230 patients undergoing thoracic and/or lumbar fusion were randomly assigned to the local administration of VCM (interventional group, 1 g) or ampicillin (AMP; control group, 1 g) into the surgical field. The primary outcome was SSI results within 1 year of surgery.RESULTSThe trial was prematurely stopped according to predetermined rules. The results showed one superficial infection (0.9%, Staphylococcus aureus) and one deep infection (0.9%, S. aureus) in the VCM group and two superficial infections (1.8%, Staphylococcus epidermidis and culture negative) and one deep infection (0.9%, methicillin-resistant S. aureus) in the AMP group. No significant differences in infection rates were observed between the groups (p = 0.8).CONCLUSIONSThis double-blind randomized controlled trial demonstrated that the local application of VCM or AMP powder into the operative field in short thoracic and/or lumbar fusion procedures resulted in a similar incidence of SSI.■ CLASSIFICATION OF EVIDENCE Type of question: therapeutic; study design: randomized controlled trial; evidence: class III.Clinical trial registration no.: UMIN000009377 (umin.ac.jp/ctr).

Cage subsidence in lateral interbody fusion with transpsoas approach: intraoperative endplate injury or late-onset settling.

INTRODUCTION: Few studies have investigated the influence of cage subsidence patterns (intraoperative endplate injury or late-onset cage settling) on bony fusion and clinical outcomes in lateral interbody fusion (LIF). This retrospective study was performed to compare the fusion rate and clinical outcomes of cage subsidence patterns in LIF at one year after surgery. METHODS: Participants included 93 patients (aged 69.0±0.8 years; 184 segments) who underwent LIF with bilateral pedicle screw fixation. All segments were evaluated by computed tomography and classified into three groups: Segment E (intraoperative endplate injury, identified immediately postoperatively); Segment S (late-onset settling, identified at 3 months or later); or Segment N (no subsidence). We compared patient characteristics, surgical parameters and fusion status at 1 year for the three subsidence groups. Patients were classified into four groups: Group E (at least one Segment E), Group S (at least one Segment S), Group ES (both Segments E and S), or Group N (Segment N alone). Visual analog scales (VASs) and the Japanese Orthopedic Association Back Pain Evaluation Questionnaire (JOABPEQ) were compared for the four patient groups. RESULTS: 184 segments were classified: 31 as Segment E (16.8%), 21 as Segment S (11.4%), and 132 as Segment N (71.7%). Segment E demonstrated significantly lower bone mineral density (-1.7 SD of T-score, p=0.003). Segment S demonstrated a significantly higher rate of polyetheretherketone (PEEK) cages (100%, p=0.03) and a significantly lower fusion rate (23.8%, p=0.01). There were no significant differences in VAS or in any of the JOABPEQ domains among the four patient groups. CONCLUSIONS: Intraoperative endplate injury was significantly related to bone quality, and late-onset settling was related to PEEK cages. Late-onset settling demonstrated a worse fusion rate. However, there were no significant differences in clinical outcomes among the subsidence patterns.

Low back pain and patient-reported QOL outcomes in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis without corrective surgery.

PURPOSE: To reveal the prevalence of low back pain (LBP) and association between LBP and patient-reported QOL outcomes (JOABPEQ and SRS-22r) in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) without corrective surgery. METHODS: Ninety-eight female patients with AIS without corrective surgery who answered JOABPEQ, SRS-22r, and VAS for LBP were included. The scores of all subdomains in JOABPEQ and SRS-22r were calculated. From the standing radiographs, we measured the Risser grade and radiographic parameters regarding the curve magnitude, coronal and sagittal balance, and spinopelvic alignment. Furthermore, we recorded whether the patients were undergoing brace treatment at the time of visiting our outpatient clinic. The patients with VAS >30 mm (moderate or severe LBP) were designated as Group P; VAS ≤30 mm, Group N. All variables were compared between the groups. RESULTS: The prevalence of LBP (VAS >0 mm) was 34.7% and that of moderate or severe LBP was 16.2%. All subdomain scores in JOABPEQ and those for function and pain in SRS-22r were significantly smaller in Group P than Group N. The subdomain scores for self-image and satisfaction/dissatisfaction with management in SRS-22r did not differ between the groups. The age, Risser grade, radiographic parameters, and whether the patients were undergoing brace treatment did not differ between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of LBP was 34.7%, which was approximately three times higher than that previously reported in Japanese pupils without scoliosis. The patients with LBP demonstrated poorer QOL outcomes associated with LBP regardless of radiographic parameters, patients' self-image and satisfaction with treatment.

Impact of sagittal spinopelvic alignment on clinical outcomes after decompression surgery for lumbar spinal canal stenosis without coronal imbalance.

OBJECT: The object of this study was to investigate correlations between sagittal spinopelvic alignment and improvements in clinical and quality-of-life (QOL) outcomes after lumbar decompression surgery for lumbar spinal canal stenosis (LCS) without coronal imbalance. METHODS: The authors retrospectively reviewed data from consecutive patients treated for LCS with decompression surgery in the period from 2009 through 2011. They examined correlations between preoperative or postoperative sagittal vertical axis (SVA) and radiological parameters, clinical outcomes, and health-related (HR)QOL scores in patients divided according to SVA. Clinical outcomes were assessed according to Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) and visual analog scale (VAS) scores. Health-related QOL was evaluated using the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ) and the JOA Back Pain Evaluation Questionnaire (JOABPEQ). RESULTS: One hundred nine patients were eligible for inclusion in the study. Compared to patients with normal sagittal alignment prior to surgery (Group A: SVA < 50 mm), those with preoperative sagittal imbalance (Group B: SVA ≥ 50 mm) had significantly smaller lumbar lordosis and thoracic kyphosis angles and larger pelvic tilt. In Group B, there was a significant decrease in postoperative SVA compared with the preoperative SVA (76.3 ± 29.7 mm vs. 54.3 ± 39.8 mm, p = 0.004). The patients in Group B with severe preoperative sagittal imbalance (SVA > 80 mm) had residual sagittal imbalance after surgery (82.8 ± 41.6 mm). There were no significant differences in clinical and HRQOL outcomes between Groups A and B. Compared to patients with normal postoperative SVA (Group C: SVA < 50 mm), patients with a postoperative SVA ≥ 50 mm (Group D) had significantly lower JOABPEQ scores, both preoperative and postoperative, for walking ability (preop: 36.6 ± 26.3 vs. 22.7 ± 26.0, p = 0.038, respectively; postop: 71.1 ± 30.4 vs. 42.5 ± 29.6, p < 0.001) and social functioning (preop: 38.7 ± 18.5 vs. 30.2 ± 16.7, p = 0.045; postop: 67.0 ± 25.8 vs. 49.6 ± 20.0, p = 0.001), as well as significantly higher postoperative RMDQ (4.9 ± 5.2 vs. 7.9 ± 5.7, p = 0.015) and VAS scores for low-back pain (2.68 ± 2.69 vs. 3.94 ± 2.59, p = 0.039). CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative sagittal balance was not significantly correlated with clinical or HRQOL outcomes after decompression surgery in LCS patients without coronal imbalance. Decompression surgery improved the SVA value in patients with preoperative sagittal imbalance; however, the patients with severe preoperative sagittal imbalance (SVA > 80 mm) had residual imbalance after decompression surgery. Both clinical and HRQOL outcomes were negatively affected by postoperative residual sagittal imbalance.

Examination of a Regression Model to Quantify the Severities of Low Back Pain and Lower Limb Symptoms in Patients with Lumbar Spinal Stenosis / The Japanese Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine

Objective：The Japanese Orthopaedic Association Low Back Pain Evaluation Questionnaire (JOABPEQ) consists of 25 questions, which allows for the multifaceted evaluation of patients with low back pain. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether the JOABPEQ could be used to construct a regression model to quantify low back pain, lower limb symptoms, and hip range of motion (ROM) in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis.Methods：We evaluated 115 patients with lumbar spinal stenosis scheduled to undergo surgery at our hospital. We measured the degrees of low back pain, lower leg pain, and lower leg numbness using the visual analog scale before the surgery. In addition, we measured the ROM of the hip joint during flexion, external rotation, and internal rotation. All responses of the JOABPEQ and physical function data were subjected to a partial least-squares (PLS) regression analysis.Results：Low back pain, lower limb pain, lower limb numbness, and hip ROM during flexion could each be used for significant regression models with JOABPEQ items. However, the hip ROMs during external and internal rotation could not be used for regression models with the JOABPEQ.Conclusion：On the basis of the results of the PLS regression analysis in this study, the degree of pain symptoms in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis may be quantified with the JOABPEQ items. Furthermore, the flexion angle of the hip ROM was quantified using the JOABPEQ items. The results of this study may indicate an effective means for establishing treatment plans for physical therapy.