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Rebollo P, García-López S, Povedano M, Cattinari MG, Martínez-Moreno M, Terrancle Á, Cabello-Moruno R, Vázquez-Costa JF. Design and Validation of a Clinical Outcome Measure for Adolescents and Adult Patients with Spinal Muscular Atrophy: SMA Life Study Protocol. Neurol Ther 2024; 13:233-249. [PMID: 38180726 PMCID: PMC10787721 DOI: 10.1007/s40120-023-00571-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The objective of this study is to develop a clinical tool for the evaluation and follow-up of adolescent and adult patients with 5q spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and to design its validation. METHODS This prospective, non-interventional study will be carried out at five centres in Spain and will include patients aged 16 years or older with a confirmed diagnosis of 5q SMA (biallelic mutation of the survival motor neuron 1 [SMN1] gene). A panel of experts made up of neurologists, physiatrists and Spanish patients' association (FundAME), participated in the design of the clinical tool. Physicians will administer the tool at three time points (baseline, 12 months and 24 months). Additionally, data from other questionnaires and scales will be collected. Once recruitment is achieved, an interim statistical analysis will be performed to assess its psychometric properties by applying Rasch analysis and classical statistical tests. RESULTS The tool will consist of up to 53 items to assess functional status from a clinical perspective in seven key dimensions (bulbar, respiratory, axial, lower, upper, fatigability and other symptoms), which will be collected together with objective clinical measures (body mass index, forced vital capacity, pinch strength and 6-minute walk test). CONCLUSIONS The validation of this tool will facilitate the clinical evaluation of adult and adolescent patients with SMA and the quantification of their response to new treatments in both clinical practice and research.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Mónica Povedano
- Unidad Funcional de Motoneurona (UFMN), Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Bellvitge (IDIBELL), Hospital Universitario de Bellvitge, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Mercedes Martínez-Moreno
- Sección de Rehabilitación Infantil, Servicio de Medicina Física y Rehabilitación, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | - Juan F Vázquez-Costa
- Department of Medicine, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain.
- ALS Unit, Department of Neurology, Hospital Universitario y Politécnico La Fe, Avenida Fernando Abril Martorell 106, 46026, Valencia, Spain.
- Neuromuscular Research Unit, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe (IIS La Fe), Valencia, Spain.
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Valencia, Spain.
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Alotaibi KM, Alsuhaibani M, Al-Essa KS, Bamaga AK, Mukhtar AS, Alrumaih AM, Al-Hasinah HF, Aldossary S, Alghamdi F, Temsah MH, Abanmy N, Alwhaibi M, Asiri Y, AlRuthia Y. The socioeconomic burden of spinal muscular atrophy in Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional pilot study. Front Public Health 2024; 12:1303475. [PMID: 38362212 PMCID: PMC10867838 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1303475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a rare debilitating condition with a significant burden for patients and society. However, little is known about how it affects Saudi Arabia's population. The socioeconomic and medical characteristics of affected SMA patients and their caregivers are lacking. Purpose This study aimed to describe the socioeconomic and medical characteristics of SMA patients and caregivers in Saudi Arabia. Patients and methods A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted using snowball sampling. Assessment tools including EuroQol (EQ-5D-5L) and visual analog scale (EQ-VAS), Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), and Costs for Patients Questionnaire (CoPaQ) were used to assess the quality of life (QoL), anxiety, depression, and out-of-pocket expenditures. Results Sixty-four caregivers of SMA patients participated. Type I patients had higher sibling concordance, ICU hospitalization, and mechanical support needs. Type III patients had better QoL. Type I patients' caregivers had higher depression scores. Type III patients' caregivers had higher out-of-pocket expenditures. Forty-eight percent received supportive care, while others received SMA approved therapies. Conclusion SMA imposes a significant socioeconomic burden on patients and caregivers, requiring more attention from the healthcare system. Access to innovative therapies varied across SMA types. Pre-marital screening and early detection are crucial to reduce disease incidence and ensure timely treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khloud Mubark Alotaibi
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohannad Alsuhaibani
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Khalid S. Al-Essa
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmed Khamis Bamaga
- Neurology Division, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Amnah S. Mukhtar
- Pharmaceutical Care Department, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ali Mohammed Alrumaih
- Pharmaceutical Care Department, General Directorate for Health Services, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Huda F. Al-Hasinah
- Department of Pharmacy, Prince Sultan Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Shaikhah Aldossary
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, King Fahad Specialist Hospital, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
| | - Fouad Alghamdi
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, King Fahad Specialist Hospital, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohamad-Hani Temsah
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Norah Abanmy
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Monira Alwhaibi
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Yousif Asiri
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Yazed AlRuthia
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Pharmacoeconomics Research Unit, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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Giorgia Q, Gomez Garcia de la Banda M, Smeriglio P. Role of circulating biomarkers in spinal muscular atrophy: insights from a new treatment era. Front Neurol 2023; 14:1226969. [PMID: 38020652 PMCID: PMC10679720 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1226969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a lower motor neuron disease due to biallelic mutations in the SMN1 gene on chromosome 5. It is characterized by progressive muscle weakness of limbs, bulbar and respiratory muscles. The disease is usually classified in four different phenotypes (1-4) according to age at symptoms onset and maximal motor milestones achieved. Recently, three disease modifying treatments have received approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA), while several other innovative drugs are under study. New therapies have been game changing, improving survival and life quality for SMA patients. However, they have also intensified the need for accurate biomarkers to monitor disease progression and treatment efficacy. While clinical and neurophysiological biomarkers are well established and helpful in describing disease progression, there is a great need to develop more robust and sensitive circulating biomarkers, such as proteins, nucleic acids, and other small molecules. Used alone or in combination with clinical biomarkers, they will play a critical role in enhancing patients' stratification for clinical trials and access to approved treatments, as well as in tracking response to therapy, paving the way to the development of individualized therapeutic approaches. In this comprehensive review, we describe the foremost circulating biomarkers of current significance, analyzing existing literature on non-treated and treated patients with a special focus on neurofilaments and circulating miRNA, aiming to identify and examine their role in the follow-up of patients treated with innovative treatments, including gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Querin Giorgia
- APHP, Service de Neuromyologie, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Centre Référent pour les Maladies Neuromusculaires Nord/Est/Ile de France, Paris, France
- Institut de Myologie, I-Motion Clinical Trials Platform, Paris, France
- European Reference Center Network (Euro-NMD ERN), Paris, France
| | - Marta Gomez Garcia de la Banda
- Institut de Myologie, I-Motion Clinical Trials Platform, Paris, France
- APHP, Pediatric Neurology Department, Hôpital Armand Trousseau, Centre Référent pour les Maladies Neuromusculaires Nord/Est/Ile de France, Paris, France
- APHP, Pediatric Neurology and ICU Department, Université Paris Saclay, DMU Santé de l'Enfant et de l'Adolescent, Hôpital Raymond Poincaré, Garches, France
| | - Piera Smeriglio
- Centre of Research in Myology, Institute of Myology, Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Paris, France
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Gavriilaki M, Papaliagkas V, Stamperna A, Moschou M, Notas K, Papagiannopoulos S, Arnaoutoglou M, Kimiskidis VK. Biomarkers of therapeutic efficacy in adolescents and adults with 5q spinal muscular atrophy: a systematic review. Acta Neurol Belg 2023; 123:1735-1745. [PMID: 35861914 DOI: 10.1007/s13760-022-02028-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The therapeutic landscape of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) was dramatically transformed with the introduction of three disease-modifying therapies (DMTs). A systematic review was performed to assess available evidence regarding quantitative therapeutic biomarkers used in SMA patients older than 11 years under treatment with DMTs. METHODS Latest literature search in MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane databases and gray literature resources was performed in June 2021. Studies reporting only motor function or muscle strength scales or pulmonary function tests were excluded. Primary outcome was the change from baseline score of any serum, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) or neurophysiologic biomarker examined. RESULTS Database and gray literature search yielded a total of 8050 records. We identified 14 records published from 2019 until 2021 examining 18 putative serum, CSF or neurophysiologic biomarkers along with routine CSF parameters in 295 SMA nusinersen-treated type 2-4 patients older than 11 years of age. There is evidence based on real-world observational studies suggesting that serum creatinine, creatine kinase activity levels along with CSF Αβ42, glial fibrillary acidic protein concentration as well as ulnar compound motor action potential amplitude and single motor unit potential amplitude changes may depict therapeutic response in this population. CONCLUSION This systematic review explored for the first-time biomarkers used to monitor therapeutic efficacy in SMA adolescents and adults treated with DMTs. Research in this area is in its early stages, and our systematic review can facilitate selection of quantitative therapeutic biomarkers that may be used as surrogate measures of treatment efficacy in future trials. PROTOCOL REGISTRATION PROSPERO CRD42021245516.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Gavriilaki
- 1st Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, AHEPA University Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, S. Kyriakidi Str. 1, 546 36, Thessaloniki, Greece.
| | - Vasileios Papaliagkas
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Health Sciences, International Hellenic University, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Alexandra Stamperna
- 2nd Department of Pediatrics, AHEPA University Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Maria Moschou
- 1st Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, AHEPA University Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, S. Kyriakidi Str. 1, 546 36, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Konstantinos Notas
- Laboratory of Clinical Neurophysiology, School of Medicine, AHEPA University Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Sotirios Papagiannopoulos
- 3rd Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, G. Papanicolaou Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Marianthi Arnaoutoglou
- Laboratory of Clinical Neurophysiology, School of Medicine, AHEPA University Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Vasilios K Kimiskidis
- 1st Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, AHEPA University Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, S. Kyriakidi Str. 1, 546 36, Thessaloniki, Greece
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Tahedl M, Tan EL, Siah WF, Hengeveld JC, Doherty MA, McLaughlin RL, Hardiman O, Finegan E, Bede P. Radiological correlates of pseudobulbar affect: Corticobulbar and cerebellar components in primary lateral sclerosis. J Neurol Sci 2023; 451:120726. [PMID: 37421883 DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2023.120726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/10/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Pseudobulbar affect (PBA) is a distressing symptom of a multitude of neurological conditions affecting patients with a rage of neuroinflammatory, neurovascular and neurodegenerative conditions. It manifests in disproportionate emotional responses to minimal or no contextual stimulus. It has considerable quality of life implications and treatment can be challenging. METHODS A prospective multimodal neuroimaging study was conducted to explore the neuroanatomical underpinnings of PBA in patients with primary lateral sclerosis (PLS). All participants underwent whole genome sequencing and screening for C9orf72 hexanucleotide repeat expansions, a comprehensive neurological assessment, neuropsychological screening (ECAS, HADS, FrSBe) and PBA was evaluated by the emotional lability questionnaire. Structural, diffusivity and functional MRI data were systematically evaluated in whole-brain (WB) data-driven and region of interest (ROI) hypothesis-driven analyses. In ROI analyses, functional and structural corticobulbar connectivity and cerebello-medullary connectivity alterations were evaluated separately. RESULTS Our data-driven whole-brain analyses revealed associations between PBA and white matter degeneration in descending corticobulbar as well as in commissural tracts. In our hypothesis-driven analyses, PBA was associated with increased right corticobulbar tract RD (p = 0.006) and decreased FA (p = 0.026). The left-hemispheric corticobulbar tract, as well as functional connectivity, showed similar tendencies. While uncorrected p-maps revealed both voxelwise and ROI trends for associations between PBA and cerebellar measures, these did not reach significance to unequivocally support the "cerebellar hypothesis". CONCLUSIONS Our data confirm associations between cortex-brainstem disconnection and the clinical severity of PBA. While our findings may be disease-specific, they are consistent with the classical cortico-medullary model of pseudobulbar affect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlene Tahedl
- Computational Neuroimaging Group (CNG), School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
| | - Ee Ling Tan
- Computational Neuroimaging Group (CNG), School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
| | - We Fong Siah
- Computational Neuroimaging Group (CNG), School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
| | | | - Mark A Doherty
- Smurfit Institute of Genetics, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | | | - Orla Hardiman
- Computational Neuroimaging Group (CNG), School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
| | - Eoin Finegan
- Computational Neuroimaging Group (CNG), School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
| | - Peter Bede
- Computational Neuroimaging Group (CNG), School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland; Department of Neurology, St James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
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Balaji L, Farrar MA, D'Silva AM, Kariyawasam DS. Decision-making and challenges within the evolving treatment algorithm in spinal muscular atrophy: a clinical perspective. Expert Rev Neurother 2023; 23:571-586. [PMID: 37227306 DOI: 10.1080/14737175.2023.2218549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The clinical application of disease modifying therapies has dramatically changed the paradigm of the management of people with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), from sole reliance on symptomatic care directed toward the downstream consequences of muscle weakness, to proactive intervention and even preventative care. AREAS COVERED In this perspective, the authors evaluate the contemporary therapeutic landscape of SMA and discuss the evolution of novel phenotypes and the treatment algorithm, including the key factors that define individual treatment choice and treatment response. The benefits achieved by early diagnosis and treatment through newborn screening are highlighted, alongside an appraisal of emerging prognostic methods and classification frameworks to inform clinicians, patients, and families about disease course, manage expectations, and improve care planning. A future perspective of unmet needs and challenges is provided, emphasizing the key role of research. EXPERT OPINION SMN-augmenting therapies have improved health outcomes for people with SMA and powered the practice of personalized medicine. Within this new proactive diagnostic and treatment paradigm, new phenotypes and different disease trajectories are emerging. Ongoing collaborative research efforts to understand the biology of SMA and define optimal response are critical to refining future approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lakshmi Balaji
- Department of Neurology, Sydney Children's Hospital Network, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Discipline of Paediatrics and Child Health, School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Medicine and Health UNSW, Sydney, Australia
| | - Michelle A Farrar
- Department of Neurology, Sydney Children's Hospital Network, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Discipline of Paediatrics and Child Health, School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Medicine and Health UNSW, Sydney, Australia
- UNSW Kensington Campus, Sydney, Australia
| | - Arlene M D'Silva
- Department of Neurology, Sydney Children's Hospital Network, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Discipline of Paediatrics and Child Health, School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Medicine and Health UNSW, Sydney, Australia
- UNSW Kensington Campus, Sydney, Australia
| | - Didu S Kariyawasam
- Department of Neurology, Sydney Children's Hospital Network, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Discipline of Paediatrics and Child Health, School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Medicine and Health UNSW, Sydney, Australia
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Walter MC, Laforêt P, van der Pol WL, Pegoraro E. 254th ENMC international workshop. Formation of a European network to initiate a European data collection, along with development and sharing of treatment guidelines for adult SMA patients. Virtual meeting 28 - 30 January 2022. Neuromuscul Disord 2023; 33:511-522. [PMID: 37245491 DOI: 10.1016/j.nmd.2023.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Maggie C Walter
- Friedrich-Baur-Institute at the Department of Neurology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Ziemssenstr. 1, Munich 80336, Germany.
| | - Pascal Laforêt
- Department of Neurology, Nord/Est/Ile de France Neuromuscular Reference Center, AP-HP, Raymond-Poincaré Teaching Hospital, Paris Saclay University, Garches, France
| | - W Ludo van der Pol
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht 3584 CX, the Netherlands
| | - Elena Pegoraro
- Department of Neuroscience DNS, Neuromuscular Unit, University of Padova, Italy
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Kruse T, Shamai S, Leflerovà D, Wirth B, Heller R, Schloss N, Lehmann HC, Brakemeier S, Hagenacker T, Braumann B, Wunderlich G. Objective measurement of oral function in adults with spinal muscular atrophy. Orphanet J Rare Dis 2023; 18:103. [PMID: 37138365 PMCID: PMC10155305 DOI: 10.1186/s13023-023-02688-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Impairment of bulbar function in adult individuals with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) usually is not assessed by established motor scores. Measurements of oral function including quantitative muscle and endurance tests are able to detect subtle changes. The aim of this study was to systematically evaluate the measurement of maximum bite force and endurance, maximum tongue pressure and endurance, as well as maximum mouth opening in adult individuals with SMA types 2 and 3. METHODS Data from oral function tests in 43 individuals were analyzed. Differences in oral function between individuals with different SMA types and numbers of SMN2 copies were tested. Spearman´s rho correlations among oral function measures themselves as well as with established clinical outcome scales were analyzed. RESULTS The absolute maximum measures of oral function (maximum bite force, maximum tongue pressure, maximum mouth opening) were able to discriminate between individuals with different SMA types, individuals with a different number of SMN2 copies and with different walking abilities. The pairwise correlations of the absolute maximum measures of oral function were fair to moderate in size; the same was true for their correlations with the established motor scores. All correlations assessing endurance measures of oral function were weaker and statistically insignificant. CONCLUSIONS Among the oral function tests maximum tongue pressure and maximum mouth opening are particulary promising as clinical and sensitive outcome measures for clinical trials. Oral function tests may supplement existing motor scores, in particular concerning specific questions about bulbar function or in severely affected non-ambulatory individuals where mild (treatment-related) changes would otherwise remain undetected. Trial registration DRKS, DRKS00015842. Registered 30 July 2019, https://drks.de/search/de/trial/DRKS00015842.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Kruse
- Department of Orthodontics, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 32, 50931, Cologne, Germany.
- Center for Rare Diseases Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
| | - S Shamai
- Department of Orthodontics, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 32, 50931, Cologne, Germany
| | - D Leflerovà
- Department of Orthodontics, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 32, 50931, Cologne, Germany
- Department of Prosthetic Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 32, 50931, Cologne, Germany
| | - B Wirth
- Center for Rare Diseases Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 34, 50931, Cologne, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - R Heller
- Center for Rare Diseases Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 34, 50931, Cologne, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Genetic Health Service NZ-Northern Hub, Auckland District Health Board, Auckland City Hospital, 90-102 Grafton Rd, Grafton, NZ-Auckland, 1010, New Zealand
| | - N Schloss
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937, Cologne, Germany
| | - H C Lehmann
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937, Cologne, Germany
| | - S Brakemeier
- Department of Neurology, Center for Translational Neuro- and Behavioral Sciences (C-TNBS), University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - T Hagenacker
- Department of Neurology, Center for Translational Neuro- and Behavioral Sciences (C-TNBS), University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - B Braumann
- Department of Orthodontics, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 32, 50931, Cologne, Germany
- Center for Rare Diseases Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - G Wunderlich
- Center for Rare Diseases Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937, Cologne, Germany
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Ribault S, Rippert P, Jain M, Le Goff L, Genod DV, Barriere A, Berruyer A, Garde C, Tinat M, Pons C, Vuillerot C. Psychometric Characteristics of the Motor Function Measure in Neuromuscular Diseases: A Systematic Review1. J Neuromuscul Dis 2023; 10:301-314. [PMID: 37125561 PMCID: PMC10408216 DOI: 10.3233/jnd-230001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent pharmaceutical breakthroughs in neuromuscular diseases may considerably change the prognosis and natural history these diseases. The ability to measure clinically relevant outcomes such as motor function is critical for the assessment of therapeutics and the follow up of individuals. The Motor Function Measure (MFM) is a quantitative scale designed to measure motor function in adult and children with neuromuscular disease (NMD). OBJECTIVE The objective of this study is to assess the quality and level of evidence of the MFM's published measurement properties by completing a systematic review of the validation and responsiveness studies of the MFM20 (a 20-item version of MFM adapted for children 2 to 6 years of age) and the MFM32 (the original 32 item version), in all NMDs and in specific diseases. METHODS A search for MFM responsiveness and MFM validation studies was completed in February 2023 in EMBASE, MEDLINE, SCOPUS and Web of Science databases. The PRISMA guidelines and the COSMIN manual for systematic reviews were followed for databases searches, articles screening and selection, study quality and measurement properties evaluation. RESULTS 49 studies were included in analysis. In studies including individuals with all NMDs, MFM's internal consistency, reliability, convergent validity, construct validity and responsiveness were rated as sufficient with a high quality of evidence. Structural validity was rated sufficient with a moderate quality of evidence In SMA in particular, MFM's reliability, internal consistency, convergent validity, discriminant validity and responsiveness are sufficient with a high quality of evidence. More studies would be required to assess specific measurement properties in different diseases. MFM32's minimal clinically relevant difference has been defined between 2 and 6%. CONCLUSION MFM's structural validity, internal consistency, reliability, construct validity, convergent validity and responsiveness have been verified with moderate to high level of evidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shams Ribault
- Hospices Civils de Lyon, Hôpital Femme Mère Enfant, Service de médecine physique et réadaptation pédiatrique, Bron cedex F-69677
- Pathophysiology and Genetics of Neuron and Muscle, CNRS UMR 5261, INSERM U1315, Université Lyon1, Faculté de Médecine Lyon Est, Lyon, France
| | - Pascal Rippert
- Hospices Civils de Lyon, Hôpital Femme Mère Enfant, Service de médecine physique et réadaptation pédiatrique, Bron cedex F-69677
- Hospices Civils de Lyon, Pôle Santé Publique, Service Recherche et Epidémiologie Clinique, Lyon F-69003
| | - Minal Jain
- Rehabilitation Medicine Department, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, US
| | - Laure Le Goff
- Hospices Civils de Lyon, Hôpital Femme Mère Enfant, Service de médecine physique et réadaptation pédiatrique, Bron cedex F-69677
| | - Dominique Vincent Genod
- Hospices Civils de Lyon, Hôpital Femme Mère Enfant, Service de médecine physique et réadaptation pédiatrique, Bron cedex F-69677
| | - Aurélie Barriere
- Hospices Civils de Lyon, Hôpital Femme Mère Enfant, Service de médecine physique et réadaptation pédiatrique, Bron cedex F-69677
| | - Anne Berruyer
- Hospices Civils de Lyon, Hôpital Femme Mère Enfant, Service de médecine physique et réadaptation pédiatrique, Bron cedex F-69677
| | - Camille Garde
- Hospices Civils de Lyon, Hôpital Femme Mère Enfant, Service de médecine physique et réadaptation pédiatrique, Bron cedex F-69677
| | - Marie Tinat
- Hospices Civils de Lyon, Hôpital Femme Mère Enfant, Service de médecine physique et réadaptation pédiatrique, Bron cedex F-69677
| | - Christelle Pons
- SSR pédiatrique, fondation Ildys, rue Alain-Colas, 29200 Brest, France; Service de médecine physique et de réadaptation, CHRU de Brest, Brest, France; Laboratoire de traitement de l’information médicale (LaTIM), inserm U1101, université Bretagne Occidentale, France
| | - Carole Vuillerot
- Hospices Civils de Lyon, Hôpital Femme Mère Enfant, Service de médecine physique et réadaptation pédiatrique, Bron cedex F-69677
- Pathophysiology and Genetics of Neuron and Muscle, CNRS UMR 5261, INSERM U1315, Université Lyon1, Faculté de Médecine Lyon Est, Lyon, France
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10
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Vázquez‐Costa JF, Povedano M, Nascimiento‐Osorio AE, Moreno Escribano A, Kapetanovic Garcia S, Dominguez R, Exposito JM, González L, Marco C, Medina Castillo J, Muelas N, Natera de Benito D, Ñungo Garzón NC, Pitarch Castellano I, Sevilla T, Hervás D. Validation of motor and functional scales for the evaluation of adult patients with 5q spinal muscular atrophy. Eur J Neurol 2022; 29:3666-3675. [PMID: 36047967 PMCID: PMC9826246 DOI: 10.1111/ene.15542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Mos scales currently used to evaluate spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) patients have only been validated in children. The aim of this study was to assess the construct validity and responsiveness of several outcome measures in adult SMA patients. METHODS Patients older than 15 years and followed up in five referral centres for at least 6 months, between October 2015 and August 2020, with a motor function scale score (Hammersmith Functional Motor Scale Expanded [HFMSE], Revised Upper Limb module [RULM]) were included. Bedside functional scales (Egen Klassification [EK2], Revised Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale [ALSFRS-R]) were also collected when available. Spearman's rho correlations (rs) and Bangdiwala's concordance test (B) were used to evaluate the scales' construct validity. Monthly slopes of change were used to calculate their responsiveness of the scales. RESULTS The study included 79 SMA patients, followed up for a mean of 16 months. All scales showed strong correlations with each other (rs > 0.70). A floor effect in motor function scales was found in the weakest patients (HFMSE < 5 and RULM < 10), and a ceiling effect was found in stronger patients (HFMSE > 60 and RULM > 35). The ALSFRS-R (B = 0.72) showed a strong ability to discriminate between walkers, sitters and non-sitters, and the HFMSE (B = 0.86) between walkers and sitters. The responsiveness was low overall, although in treated patients a moderate responsiveness was found for the ALSFRS-R and HFMSE in walkers (0.69 and 0.61, respectively) and for EK2 in sitters (0.65) and non-sitters (0.60). CONCLUSIONS This study shows the validity and limitations of the scales most frequently used to assess adult SMA patients. Overall, bedside functional scales showed some advantages over motor scales, although all showed limited responsiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan F. Vázquez‐Costa
- Neuromuscular Unit, Department of NeurologyIIS La Fe, Hospital Universitario y Politécnico la FeValenciaSpain,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER)ValenciaSpain,Department of MedicineUniversitat de ValènciaValenciaSpain
| | - Mónica Povedano
- Motor Neuron Unit, Neurology DepartmentBellvitge Hospital‐IDIBELLBarcelonaSpain
| | - Andrés E. Nascimiento‐Osorio
- Neuromuscular Unit, Neuropediatric DepartmentInstitut de Recerca Pediàtrica Hospital Sant Joan de DéuBarcelonaSpain,Center for the Biomedical Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), ISCIIIBarcelonaSpain
| | - Antonio Moreno Escribano
- Neuromuscular Unit, Neurology DepartmentHospital Clínico Universitario Virgen de la ArrixacaMurciaSpain
| | | | - Raul Dominguez
- Motor Neuron Unit, Neurology DepartmentBellvitge Hospital‐IDIBELLBarcelonaSpain
| | - Jessica M. Exposito
- Neuromuscular Unit, Neuropediatric DepartmentInstitut de Recerca Pediàtrica Hospital Sant Joan de DéuBarcelonaSpain
| | - Laura González
- Motor Neuron Unit, Neurology DepartmentBellvitge Hospital‐IDIBELLBarcelonaSpain
| | - Carla Marco
- Motor Neuron Unit, Neurology DepartmentBellvitge Hospital‐IDIBELLBarcelonaSpain
| | | | - Nuria Muelas
- Neuromuscular Unit, Department of NeurologyIIS La Fe, Hospital Universitario y Politécnico la FeValenciaSpain,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER)ValenciaSpain
| | - Daniel Natera de Benito
- Neuromuscular Unit, Neuropediatric DepartmentInstitut de Recerca Pediàtrica Hospital Sant Joan de DéuBarcelonaSpain
| | - Nancy Carolina Ñungo Garzón
- Neuromuscular Unit, Department of NeurologyIIS La Fe, Hospital Universitario y Politécnico la FeValenciaSpain,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER)ValenciaSpain
| | - Inmaculada Pitarch Castellano
- Neuromuscular Unit, Department of NeurologyIIS La Fe, Hospital Universitario y Politécnico la FeValenciaSpain,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER)ValenciaSpain
| | - Teresa Sevilla
- Neuromuscular Unit, Department of NeurologyIIS La Fe, Hospital Universitario y Politécnico la FeValenciaSpain,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER)ValenciaSpain,Department of MedicineUniversitat de ValènciaValenciaSpain
| | - David Hervás
- Department of Applied Statistics and Operational Research and QualityUniversitat Politècnica de ValènciaValenciaSpain
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11
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Lizandra Cortés P, Poveda Verdú D, Albert Férriz A, Ñungo-Garzón NC, Domine MC, Sevilla-Mantecón T, Pitarch-Castellano I, Vázquez-Costa JF. Validation of Neuromyotype: a smart keyboard for the evaluation of spinal muscular atrophy patients. Neurologia 2022:S2173-5808(22)00083-9. [PMID: 35940531 DOI: 10.1016/j.nrleng.2022.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 10/15/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Spinal muscular atrophy 5q (SMA) is a genetic neurodegenerative disease that affects alpha motor neurons producing progressive weakness. New outcome measures are currently required to accurately characterise the disease progression and the efficacy of new available treatments. The objective of this work is to preliminarily validate a new intelligent keyboard (Neuromyotype) measuring typing strength and speed in patients with SMA. MATERIAL AND METHODS Twenty two SMA patients older than 15 years, and 26 healthy controls were included. Three measurements were obtained with the keyboard (maximum strength, execution time of a random typing task, execution time of a sequential typing task) together with the time to complete the Nine-Hole Peg Test (9HPT). Patients were also administered motor (Hammersmith Functional Motor Scale Expanded, HFMSE; Revised Upper Limb module, RULM), and functional scales (Egen Klassification, EK2; and the revised version of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale, ALSFRS-R). The viability and construct validity of the Neuromyotype were analysed, measuring the discriminative power between patients and controls (using ROC curves and the Bangdiwala's B statistic), between the different functional types of SMA (walker, sitter and non-sitter) and their correlation with the rest of motor scales. RESULTS Neuromyotype measurements could be performed in all patients, unlike the rest of the scales. Its administration was quick and easy. The 3 variables on the keyboard discriminated very well between patients and controls, with strength (ROC = 0.963) being the one that best differentiates from the 3, equaling 9HPT (ROC = 0.966). They also showed a good ability to differentiate by functional type (especially non-sitters from sitters and walkers), with sequential time (B = 0.83) being the tool that best discriminates between the three groups above the rest of motor scales. All motor and functional scales showed strong or very strong correlations with each other (rs = 0.71-0.99), with strength correlating better with motor scales and timed variables with functional scales. CONCLUSION This study shows the feasibility and validity of Neuromyotype for the evaluation of adolescent and adult patients with SMA. Data obtained with this tool could be of great clinical relevance, saving time and resources compared to the rest of the scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Lizandra Cortés
- Grupo de Investigación en Enfermedades Neuromusculares y Ataxias, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria la Fe, Valencia, Spain
| | - D Poveda Verdú
- INESCOP, Centro de Innovación y Tecnología, Elda, Alicante, Spain
| | - A Albert Férriz
- INESCOP, Centro de Innovación y Tecnología, Elda, Alicante, Spain
| | - N C Ñungo-Garzón
- Grupo de Investigación en Enfermedades Neuromusculares y Ataxias, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria la Fe, Valencia, Spain
| | - M C Domine
- Grupo de Investigación en Enfermedades Neuromusculares y Ataxias, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria la Fe, Valencia, Spain
| | - T Sevilla-Mantecón
- Grupo de Investigación en Enfermedades Neuromusculares y Ataxias, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria la Fe, Valencia, Spain; Departamento de Medicina, Universidad de Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - I Pitarch-Castellano
- Grupo de Investigación en Enfermedades Neuromusculares y Ataxias, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria la Fe, Valencia, Spain; Unidad de referencia de Enfermedades Neuromusculares (ERN-NMD), Servicio de Pediatría, Hospital Universitario y Politécnico La Fe, Valencia, Spain
| | - J F Vázquez-Costa
- Grupo de Investigación en Enfermedades Neuromusculares y Ataxias, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria la Fe, Valencia, Spain; Unidad de referencia de Enfermedades Neuromusculares (ERN-NMD), Servicio de Neurología, Hospital Universitario y Politécnico La Fe, Valencia, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Valencia, Spain; Departamento de Medicina, Universidad de Valencia, Valencia, Spain.
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12
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Validación de Neuromyotype: un teclado inteligente para la evaluación de pacientes con atrofia muscular espinal 5q. Neurologia 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nrl.2022.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
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13
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Zhang S, Yang X, Xu Y, Luo Y, Fan D, Liu X. Application Value of the Motor Unit Number Index in Patients With Kennedy Disease. Front Neurol 2022; 12:705816. [PMID: 34992574 PMCID: PMC8724309 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2021.705816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of the motor unit number index (MUNIX) technique in Kennedy disease (KD) and test the correlation between the MUNIX and other clinical parameters. The MUNIX values of the bilateral deltoid, abductor digiti minimi (ADM), quadriceps femoris (QF), and tibialis anterior (TA) were determined and compared with the course of the disease. The MUNIX sum score was calculated by adding the MUNIX values of these 8 muscles. Disability was evaluated using the spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy functional rating scale (SBMAFRS). The MUNIX scores of patients with KD were negatively correlated with the course of the disease (p < 0.05), whereas their motor unit size index (MUSIX) scores were positively correlated with the course the of disease (p < 0.05). MUNIX sum scores were correlated with SBMAFRS scores (r = 0.714, p < 0.05). MUNIX was more sensitive than compound muscle action potentials or muscle strength as an indicator of neuron loss and axonal collateral reinnervation. The MUNIX sum score is an objective and a reliable indicator of disease progression, and it is a potential choice for therapeutic clinical trials. The MUNIX can assess the functional loss of motor axons and is correlated with disability. The MUNIX sum score may be especially suitable as an objective parameter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuo Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Xin Yang
- Department of Neurology, Changchun Central Hospital, Changchun, China
| | - Yingsheng Xu
- Department of Neurology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yongmei Luo
- Department of Neurology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Dongsheng Fan
- Department of Neurology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China.,Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Biomarker and Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoxuan Liu
- Department of Neurology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
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14
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Biomarkers of disease progression in adolescents and adults with 5q spinal muscular atrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Neuromuscul Disord 2022; 32:185-194. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nmd.2021.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Revised: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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15
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Pathological neural networks and artificial neural networks in ALS: diagnostic classification based on pathognomonic neuroimaging features. J Neurol 2021; 269:2440-2452. [PMID: 34585269 PMCID: PMC9021106 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-021-10801-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Revised: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
The description of group-level, genotype- and phenotype-associated imaging traits is academically important, but the practical demands of clinical neurology centre on the accurate classification of individual patients into clinically relevant diagnostic, prognostic and phenotypic categories. Similarly, pharmaceutical trials require the precision stratification of participants based on quantitative measures. A single-centre study was conducted with a uniform imaging protocol to test the accuracy of an artificial neural network classification scheme on a cohort of 378 participants composed of patients with ALS, healthy subjects and disease controls. A comprehensive panel of cerebral volumetric measures, cortical indices and white matter integrity values were systematically retrieved from each participant and fed into a multilayer perceptron model. Data were partitioned into training and testing and receiver-operating characteristic curves were generated for the three study-groups. Area under the curve values were 0.930 for patients with ALS, 0.958 for disease controls, and 0.931 for healthy controls relying on all input imaging variables. The ranking of variables by classification importance revealed that white matter metrics were far more relevant than grey matter indices to classify single subjects. The model was further tested in a subset of patients scanned within 6 weeks of their diagnosis and an AUC of 0.915 was achieved. Our study indicates that individual subjects may be accurately categorised into diagnostic groups in an observer-independent classification framework based on multiparametric, spatially registered radiology data. The development and validation of viable computational models to interpret single imaging datasets are urgently required for a variety of clinical and clinical trial applications.
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Bautin P, Cohen-Adad J. Minimum detectable spinal cord atrophy with automatic segmentation: Investigations using an open-access dataset of healthy participants. NEUROIMAGE: CLINICAL 2021; 32:102849. [PMID: 34624638 PMCID: PMC8503570 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2021.102849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Revised: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Evaluate the robustness of an automated analysis pipeline for detecting SC atrophy. Simulate spinal cord atrophy and scan-rescan variability. Fully automated analysis method available on an open access database. Evaluation of sample size and inter/intra-subject variability for T1w and T2w images.
Spinal cord atrophy is a well-known biomarker in multiple sclerosis (MS) and other diseases. It is measured by segmenting the spinal cord on an MRI image and computing the average cross-sectional area (CSA) over a few slices. Introduced about 25 years ago, this procedure is highly sensitive to the quality of the segmentation and is prone to rater-bias. Recently, fully-automated spinal cord segmentation methods, which remove the rater-bias and enable the automated analysis of large populations, have been introduced. A lingering question related to these automated methods is: How reliable are they at detecting atrophy? In this study, we evaluated the precision and accuracy of automated atrophy measurements by simulating scan-rescan experiments. Spinal cord MRI data from the open-access spine-generic project were used. The dataset aggregates 42 sites worldwide and consists of 260 healthy subjects and includes T1w and T2w contrasts. To simulate atrophy, each volume was globally rescaled at various scaling factors. Moreover, to simulate patient repositioning, random rigid transformations were applied. Using the DeepSeg algorithm from the Spinal Cord Toolbox, the spinal cord was segmented and vertebral levels were identified. Then, the average CSA between C3-C5 vertebral levels was computed for each Monte Carlo sample, allowing us to derive measures of atrophy, intra/inter-subject variability, and sample-size calculations. The minimum sample size required to detect an atrophy of 2% between unpaired study arms, commonly seen in MS studies, was 467 +/− 13.9 using T1w and 467 +/− 3.2 using T2w images. The minimum sample size to detect a longitudinal atrophy (between paired study arms) of 0.8% was 60 +/− 25.1 using T1w and 10 +/− 1.2 using T2w images. At the intra-subject level, the estimated CSA, observed in this study, showed good precision compared to other studies with COVs (across Monte Carlo transformations) of 0.8% for T1w and 0.6% for T2w images. While these sample sizes seem small, we would like to stress that these results correspond to a “best case” scenario, in that the dataset used here was of particularly good quality and the model for simulating atrophy does not encompass all the variability met in real-life datasets. The simulated atrophy and scan-rescan variability may over-simplify the biological reality. The proposed framework is open-source and available at https://csa-atrophy.readthedocs.io/.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Bautin
- NeuroPoly Lab, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Polytechnique Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Julien Cohen-Adad
- NeuroPoly Lab, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Polytechnique Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada; Functional Neuroimaging Unit, CRIUGM, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada; Mila - Quebec AI Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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