Evaluation of measurement properties of self-administered PROMs aimed at patients with non-specific shoulder pain and "activity limitations": a systematic review

Responsiveness and Minimal Clinically Important Difference of the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure Among Patients With Frozen Shoulder

IMPORTANCE

Patient-reported outcome measures provide insights into intervention effects on patients. The Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) emphasizes identifying priorities in daily activity engagement and evaluating an individual's perception of changes over time.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the responsiveness of the COPM and the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) among patients with frozen shoulders.

DESIGN

Prospective, single-blind, randomized controlled trial.

SETTING

Two physical medicine and rehabilitation clinics.

PARTICIPANTS

Ninety-four patients with frozen shoulders enrolled in a previous study.

OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Baseline and 3-mo evaluations of the COPM and other measures. Responsiveness was assessed using effect size (ES) and standardized response mean (SRM). The MCID values were determined through a distribution-based approach, which used the 0.5 standard deviation and ES methods, and an anchor-based approach, which used the receiver operating characteristic curve method.

RESULTS

The ES and SRM results indicated that the COPM had high responsiveness. The distribution-based MCID values for COPM Performance and COPM Satisfaction were 1.17 and 1.44, respectively. The anchor-based MCID values were 2.5 (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.78, 95% confidence interval [CI] [0.64-0.91]) and 2.1 (AUC = 0.76, 95% CI [0.60-0.91]), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

The findings suggest that the COPM is a responsive outcome measure for patients with frozen shoulder. The established MCID values for the COPM can be valuable for interpreting changes in patient performance and satisfaction, thus aiding clinical interventions and research planning. Plain-Language Summary: This is the first study to review the effectiveness of the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) to determine the success of occupational therapy interventions for people with a frozen shoulder. The findings suggest that the COPM is an effective and valuable tool for clients with a frozen shoulder to understand their experiences and treatment priorities and to detect meaningful changes in their performance and satisfaction after an occupational therapy intervention.

The use of a biopsychosocial model in the treatment of patients with chronic

OBJECTIVE

To explore the available knowledge on the application of biopsychosocial model (BPS) in patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP).

METHODS

A scoping review, including 32 papers that used a BPS to manage adult patients with CLBP, published in any language. Six different databases were searched.

RESULTS

According to the description of the protocols, most of them use BPS for assessment of the patients. In this first stage the most often evaluated were pain and disability, kinesiophobia and quality of life, and work-related factors. The intervention most used associate psychological and physical domains using pain education or cognitive functional therapy and active exercise. Even though was not the most common, in the social domain occupational, behavioral and family interventions were observed.

CONCLUSION

BPS is more often used as combination of physical and psychological aspects, being the social domain restricted to work-related factors. Patien'ts perception of their health status is little explored, and it is suggested that the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health be used.

PRACTICE IMPLICATION

Patient perception as well as social factors in addition to occupational ones should be included in the clinical approach of the patient with CLBP and should be further explored in research.

Linking patient reported shoulder outcomes to the international classification of functioning, disability and health

PURPOSE

To link the items from shoulder-specific Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) domains and categories, and to determine if the items fit into the ICF framework.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The Brazilian versions of the Oxford Shoulder Score (OSS), Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI), Simple Shoulder Test (SST) and Western Ontario Rotator Cuff Index (WORC) were linked to the ICF by two researchers independently. Agreement between raters was determined by calculating the Kappa Index.

RESULTS

Fifty-eight items from the PROMs were linked to eight domains and 27 categories of ICF. The PROMs covered components of body functions, activities, and participation. Components of body structure and environmental factors were not covered by any of the PROMs. ​There was substantial agreement between raters when linking the OSS (Kappa index = 0.66), SPADI (Kappa index = 0.92), SST (Kappa index = 0.72) and WORC (Kappa index = 0.71).

CONCLUSIONS

WORC and SST were the PROMs that covered the highest number of ICF domains (seven and six, respectively). However, SST is short and may be less time consuming in a clinical assessment. Clinicians can benefit from this study to decide which shoulder-specific PROM may be more adequate according to the clinical demand.Implications For RehabilitationWestern Ontario Rotator Cuff Index was the shoulder-specific Patient Reported Outcome Measure (PROM) that best showed a broader view of functionality through the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) domains that can influence shoulder pain and disability.Simple Shoulder Test seems to be the most recommended shoulder-specific PROM considering the number of domains covered by the ICF and the clinical evaluation time consumption.Shoulder Pain and Disability Index fails to provide a broader view of functioning through other ICF domains that may influence shoulder pain and disability.

Comparing the effect of physiotherapy and physiotherapy plus corticosteroid injection on pain intensity, disability, quality of life, and treatment effectiveness in patients with Subacromial Pain Syndrome: a randomized controlled trial

PURPOSE

To compare the short and medium-term effects of physiotherapy plus corticosteroid injection (combined) with physiotherapy alone on pain intensity, disability, Quality of Life (QoL), and treatment effectiveness in patients with Subacromial Pain Syndrome (SAPS).

METHODS

In this double-blind, parallel Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT), 50 patients with SAPS were randomly assigned into combined (N = 25, a single injection 3-6 days before physiotherapy) and physiotherapy alone group (N = 25). Pain, disability, QoL, and treatment-effectiveness were measured at pre-intervention, post-intervention, and 3 and 6-month follow-up with Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Shortened Disability of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (Quick-DASH), Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI) (primary outcome measure), Western Ontario Rotator Cuff (WORC), and Global Rating of Change (GRC) respectively. A 2 × 4 (group × time) mixed model analysis of variance (ANOVA) was applied for analysis.

RESULTS

The ANOVA revealed statistically significant group-in-time interaction for all outcome measures (p-value < 0.05). The independent t-test showed more effectiveness in the combined group at medium-term, as the mean scores of almost all outcome measures were substantially lesser (p < 0.01). Moreover, in short-time, despite a greater number of patients stating "completely recovered" in the combined group, there was no statistically significant difference between groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Effects of physiotherapy plus corticosteroid injection could be more long-lasting than physiotherapy alone in improving pain intensity, disability, QoL, and treatment effectiveness in patients with SAPS.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

IRCT20201010048980N1.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONShoulder pain is common, persistent, and predominantly results from subacromial pain syndrome (SAPS).Physiotherapy and corticosteroid injections are effective interventions for this condition.Comprehensive physiotherapy alone can be as effective as corticosteroid injection combined with physiotherapy in the short term.A combined approach versus physiotherapy alone may have more medium-term effects on SAPS patients' pain, disability, quality of life, and treatment effectiveness.

Patient-reported outcome measures used for shoulder disorders: An overview of systematic reviews

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to synthesize the psychometric evidence on different patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) for shoulder disorders.

METHODS

This overview conducted a search of six databases. Included systematic reviews must address at least one psychometric property from a PROM for shoulder disorders. Risk of bias was assessed by A MeaSurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR).

RESULTS

Thirteen systematic reviews were identified that assessed measurement properties of 15 different PROMs. Based on AMSTAR, 1 review had a high risk of bias and 7 reviews had a moderate risk of bias. Excellent test-reliability scores of intraclass correlation coefficients (0.85-0.99) were reported by the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand, Shoulder Pain and Dsiability Index, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeon score and Western Ontario Rotator Cuff Index. Construct validity was supported (r = 0.5-0.8) for the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand, Shoulder Pain and Dsiability Index, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeon score and Western Ontario Rotator Cuff Index. Limited evidence of responsiveness was reported across various PROMs.

CONCLUSION

Strong reliability and convergent validity properties have been reported across multiple reviews for the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand, Shoulder Pain and Dsiability Index, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeon score, Simple Shoulder Test and Western Ontario Rotator Cuff Index, which could be considered for a core clinical outcome set.

Stratified care integrated with eHealth versus usual primary care physiotherapy in patients with neck and/or shoulder complaints: protocol for a cluster randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Neck and shoulder complaints are common in primary care physiotherapy. These patients experience pain and disability, resulting in high societal costs due to, for example, healthcare use and work absence. Content and intensity of physiotherapy care can be matched to a patient's risk of persistent disabling pain. Mode of care delivery can be matched to the patient's suitability for blended care (integrating eHealth with physiotherapy sessions). It is hypothesized that combining these two approaches to stratified care (referred to from this point as Stratified Blended Approach) will improve the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of physiotherapy for patients with neck and/or shoulder complaints compared to usual physiotherapy.

METHODS

This paper presents the protocol of a multicenter, pragmatic, two-arm, parallel-group, cluster randomized controlled trial. A total of 92 physiotherapists will be recruited from Dutch primary care physiotherapy practices. Physiotherapy practices will be randomized to the Stratified Blended Approach arm or usual physiotherapy arm by a computer-generated random sequence table using SPSS (1:1 allocation). Number of physiotherapists (1 or > 1) will be used as a stratification variable. A total of 238 adults consulting with neck and/or shoulder complaints will be recruited to the trial by the physiotherapy practices. In the Stratified Blended Approach arm, physiotherapists will match I) the content and intensity of physiotherapy care to the patient's risk of persistent disabling pain, categorized as low, medium or high (using the Keele STarT MSK Tool) and II) the mode of care delivery to the patient's suitability and willingness to receive blended care. The control arm will receive physiotherapy as usual. Neither physiotherapists nor patients in the control arm will be informed about the Stratified Blended Approach arm. The primary outcome is region-specific pain and disability (combined score of Shoulder Pain and Disability Index & Neck Pain and Disability Scale) over 9 months. Effectiveness will be compared using linear mixed models. An economic evaluation will be performed from the societal and healthcare perspective.

DISCUSSION

The trial will be the first to provide evidence on the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the Stratified Blended Approach compared with usual physiotherapy in patients with neck and/or shoulder complaints.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Netherlands Trial Register: NL8249 . Officially registered since 27 December 2019. Date of first enrollment: 30 September 2020. Study status: ongoing, data collection.

Measurement properties of translated versions of the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index: A systematic review

PURPOSE

To summarise measurement properties of translated versions of the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI) and to assess their methodological quality.

METHODS

Relevant studies testing measurement properties of translated versions of the SPADI in non-specific shoulder pain participants were included from 11 databases (August 2020). Two reviewers independently screened articles and assessed individual measurement property risk of bias using the COSMIN checklist as very good, adequate, doubtful or inadequate. For each measurement property results were pooled and rated sufficient, insufficient, or inconsistent. Synthesised evidence was graded as high, moderate, low or very low (GRADE approach).

RESULTS

Thirty-four studies (21 languages and 26 different versions) were included from 4402 articles. A total of 141 measurement properties were reported with 60 rated as very good or adequate. These included; internal consistency (19), test-retest reliability (4), construct validity (6), structural validity (10), measurement error (5), responsiveness (9), and cross-cultural validity (2). Comprehensibility was adequate in the Chinese, German, Nepali, Spanish and Urdu versions. Only the Danish, Dutch and Nepali versions confirmed all, or all but one, of their measurement properties with sound methodology. Pooled results of all measurement properties except structural validity were rated as sufficient. Quality of evidence was graded moderate to high with downgrading due to inconsistent results.

CONCLUSION

Overall evidence suggests the SPADI is valid, reliable and responsive in translated form but less than half the measurement properties tested were of adequate quality. Further testing is required in many languages particularly in; test-retest reliability, measurement error and construct validity.

Measurement Properties of the Craniocervical Flexion Test: A Systematic Review

OBJECTIVE

Patients with neck pain commonly have altered activity of the neck muscles. The craniocervical flexion test (CCFT) is used to assess the function of the deep neck flexor muscles in patients with musculoskeletal neck disorders. Systematic reviews summarizing the measurement properties of the CCFT are outdated. The objective of this study was to systematically review the measurement properties of the CCFT for assessing the deep neck flexor muscles.

METHODS

The data sources MEDLINE, EMBASE, Physiotherapy Evidence Database, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Scopus, and Science Direct were searched in April 2019. Studies of any design that reported at least 1 measurement property of the CCFT for assessing the deep neck flexor muscles were selected. Two reviewers independently extracted data and rated the risk of bias of individual studies using the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) risk-of-bias checklist. The overall rating for each measurement property was classified as "positive," "indeterminate," or "negative." The overall rating was accompanied with a level of evidence.

RESULTS

Fourteen studies were included in the data synthesis. The ratings were positive, and the level of evidence was moderate for interrater and intrarater reliability and convergent validity. There was conflicting rating and level of evidence for discriminative validity. Measurement error was indeterminate, with an unknown level of evidence. Responsiveness was negative, with a limited level of evidence. A limitation of this study was that only papers published in English were included.

CONCLUSIONS

The CCFT is a valid and reliable test that can be used in clinical practice as an assessment test. Because of the conflicting and low-quality evidence, caution is advised when using the CCFT as a discriminative test and as an outcome measure. Future better-designed studies are warranted.

Do the commonly used standard questionnaires measure what is of concern to patients with low back pain?

Objective:

Evaluate whether questionnaires identified all the self-reported patient outcomes raised in focus groups.

Design:

Mixed methods research combined with qualitative analysis of focus groups.

Settings:

Physical therapy clinic in a teaching hospital in Brazil.

Subjects:

A total of 27 patients (aged >18 years, mean age 55.2 years) with chronic non-specific low back pain.

Interventions:

Three focus groups were conducted by the same investigator and analyzed by meaning unit condensation. The results obtained from the focus groups were codified according to the International Classification of Functioning. A similar process was adopted to codify the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire, the Quebec Back Pain Disability Scale and the Oswestry Disability Index according to the International Classification of Functioning. The results of both coding processes were compared.

Results:

In the analysis, seven main concepts were identified, comprising 77 meaning units. Only three meaning units were not linked to the International Classification of Functioning. Most of the codes present in the questionnaires and focus groups represent limitations to activities. Some codes were identified in the questionnaires that were not mentioned by the focus group participants. No questionnaire assessed environmental factors or problems related to specific parts of the body, and very few assessed body function, all of which were issues raised in the focus groups.

Conclusion:

This study shows that not all fields considered important by patients to their function are being evaluated, and emotional and contextual factors should be included in clinical assessments in order to fully understand patient need.

Responsiveness and minimal important change of the QuickDASH and PSFS when used among patients with shoulder pain

Background

The Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand questionnaire (QuickDASH) and the Patient-Specific Functional Scale (PSFS) are commonly used outcome instruments for measuring self-reported disability in patients with shoulder pain. To date, few studies have evaluated the responsiveness and estimated their minimal important change (MIC). Further assessment will expand the current knowledge and improve the interpretability of these instruments in clinical and research practice. The purpose of this prospective cohort study with 3 months follow-up was to evaluate the responsiveness of the QuickDASH and PSFS in patients with shoulder pain, and to estimate their MICs by using two different anchor-based methods.

Methods

Patients with shoulder pain recruited at a multidisciplinary hospital outpatient clinic completed the QuickDASH and PSFS at baseline and at 3 months follow-up. The responsiveness was evaluated by using a criterion approach with the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and a construct approach by testing 9 a-priori hypotheses. The MIC was assessed using two anchor-based MIC methods.

Results

134 patients participated at baseline and 117 (87.3%) at 3 months follow-up. The AUC was acceptable for both QuickDASH (0.75) and PSFS (0.75). QuickDASH met 7 (77.8%) and PSFS 8 (88.9%) of the hypotheses. None of the instruments showed signs of floor and ceiling effects. The MIC estimates ranged from 10.8 to 13.6 for QuickDASH and from 1.9 to 2.0 for PSFS, depending on the method used.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates that both the QuickDASH and PSFS are responsive measures of disability in patients with shoulder pain. The estimated MIC values were presented.

Graded response model fit, measurement invariance and (comparative) precision of the Dutch-Flemish PROMIS® Upper Extremity V2.0 item bank in patients with upper extremity disorders

BACKGROUND

The Dutch-Flemish PROMIS® Upper Extremity (DF-PROMIS-UE) V2.0 item bank was recently developed using Item Response Theory (IRT). Unknown for this bank are: (1) if it is legitimate to calculate IRT-based scores for short forms and Computerized Adaptive Tests (CATs), which requires that the items meet the assumptions of and fit the IRT-model (Graded Response Model [GRM]);(2) if it is legitimate to compare (sub) groups of patients using this measure, which requires measurement invariance; and (3) the precision of the estimated patients' scores for patients with different levels of functioning and compared to legacy measures. Aims were to evaluate (1) the assumptions of and fit to the GRM, (2) measurement invariance and (3) (comparative) precision of the DF-PROMIS-UE v2.0.

METHODS

Cross-sectional data were collected in Dutch patients with upper extremity disorders. Assessed were IRT-assumptions (unidimensionality [bi-factor analysis], local independence [residual correlations], monotonicity [coefficient H]), GRM item fit, measurement invariance (absence of Differential Item Functioning [DIF] due to age, gender, center, duration, and location of complaints) and precision (standard error of IRT-based scores across levels of functioning). To study measurement invariance for language [Dutch vs. English], additional US data were used. Legacy instruments were the Disability of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH), the QuickDASH and the Michigan Hand Questionnaire (MHQ).

RESULTS

In total 521 Dutch (mean age ± SD = 51 ± 17 years, 49% female) and 246 US patients (mean age ± SD = 48 ± 14 years, 69% female) participated. The DF-PROMIS-UE v2.0 item bank was sufficiently unidimensional (Omega-H = 0.80, Explained Common Variance = 0.68), had negligible local dependence (four out of 1035 correlations > 0.20), good monotonicity (H = 0.63), good GRM fit (no misfitting items) and demonstrated sufficient measurement invariance. Precise estimates (Standard Error < 3.2) were obtained for most patients (7-item short form, 88.5%; standard CAT, 91.3%; and, fixed 7-item CAT, 87.6%). The DASH displayed better reliability than the DF-PROMIS-UE short form and standard CAT, the QuickDASH displayed comparable reliability. The MHQ-ADL displayed better reliability than the DF-PROMIS-UE short form and standard CAT for T-scores between 28 and 50. For patients with low function, the DF-PROMIS-UE measures performed better.

CONCLUSIONS

The DF-PROMIS-UE v2.0 item bank showed sufficient psychometric properties in Dutch patients with UE disorders.

Translation, cross-cultural and construct validity of the Dutch-Flemish PROMIS® upper extremity item bank v2.0

PURPOSE

To develop a Dutch-Flemish translation of the PROMIS® upper extremity (PROMIS-UE) item bank v2.0, and to investigate its cross-cultural and construct validity as well as its floor and ceiling effects in patients with musculoskeletal UE disorders.

METHODS

State of the art translation methodology was used to develop the Dutch-Flemish PROMIS-UE item bank v2.0. The item bank and four legacy instruments were administered to 205 Dutch patients with musculoskeletal UE disorders visiting an orthopedic outpatient clinic. The validity of cross-cultural comparisons between English and Dutch patients was evaluated by studying differential item functioning (DIF) for language (Dutch vs. English) with ordinal logistic regression models and McFadden's pseudo R²-change of ≥ 2% as critical value. Construct validity was assessed by formulating a priori hypotheses and calculating correlations with legacy instruments. Floor/ceiling effects were evaluated by determining the proportion of patients who achieved the lowest/highest possible raw score.

RESULTS

Eight items showed DIF for language, but their impact on the test score was negligible. The item bank correlated, as hypothesized, moderately with the Dutch-Flemish PROMIS pain intensity item (Pearson's r = - 0.43) and strongly with the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand questionnaire, Subscale Disability/Symptoms (Spearman's ρ = - 0.87), the Functional Index for Hand Osteoarthritis (ρ = - 0.86), and the Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire, Subscale Activities of Daily Living (ρ = 0.87). No patients achieved the lowest or highest possible raw score.

CONCLUSIONS

A Dutch-Flemish PROMIS-UE item bank v2.0 has been developed that showed sufficient cross-cultural and construct validity as well as absence of floor and ceiling effects.

Psychometric properties of patient-reported outcome questionnaires for patients with musculoskeletal disorders of the shoulder

PURPOSE

To evaluate the psychometric properties of self-administered patient-reported outcome (PRO) questionnaires which were used in non-surgical homogeneous populations with musculoskeletal shoulder disorders.

METHODS

The included studies were identified using eligibility criteria. The methodological quality of each article was assessed using the COSMIN checklist. The psychometric properties of original versions and translated versions of PROs were also assessed.

RESULTS

Twenty articles were included. Two musculoskeletal shoulder disorders were identified that met the selection criteria: rotator cuff disease and glenohumeral instability. A total of 11 PROs were identified. In general, the methodological quality of the included studies is fair or poor. The Western Ontario Rotator Cuff Index (WORC) and the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI) are the most frequently evaluated PROs for patients with rotator cuff disease, and their psychometric properties seem to vary according to what language that they are in. For glenohumeral instability, the Western Ontario Shoulder Instability Index (WOSI) and the Oxford Instability Shoulder Score (OISS) are the most frequently evaluated PROs, and their psychometric properties seem to be adequate.

CONCLUSION

Using for rotator cuff disease is advised, for Norwegian users, the SPADI, WORC, Oxford Shoulder Score, and disabilities of the arm, shoulder and hand. Dutch and Persian users could use the WORC. For Greek speakers, the SPADI is recommended. Turkish users could use the rotator cuff quality-of-life measure. For glenohumeral instability, Dutch and Norwegian speakers could use the WOSI and the OISS. Italian, Japanese, and Turkish users could use the WOSI. For English users, the OISS and the Shoulder Rating Questionnaire are recommended.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

III.

Nepali translation, cross-cultural adaptation and measurement properties of the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI)

Background

The Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI) is a 13-item shoulder-specific patient-reported outcome measure (PROM). The English version is easy to use and has demonstrated excellent measurement properties for both clinical and research settings. The availability of the SPADI in Nepali would facilitate shoulder research and enhance management of patients with shoulder pain in Nepal. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to translate and cross-culturally adapt the SPADI into Nepali (SPADI-NP) and evaluate its measurement properties.

Methods

The translation and adaptation process followed international guidelines. Participants completed SPADI-NP on two assessments (N = 150 at initial and 119 at follow-up assessment). A Nepali version of the Global Rating of Change score was completed at follow-up. Assessment of measurement properties included analysis of internal consistency (Cronbach’s α), minimal detectable change (MDC) with standard error of measurement (SEM), test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient; ICC), validity (factor structure, construct using Pearson’s correlation with the Disability of Arm and Hand [DASH]) and responsiveness (area under the curve; AUC) with minimal important change (MIC).

Results

Minor changes were integrated in the adaptation process to improve cultural relevance such as dress items. Items were largely loaded under two factors (pain and disability), internal consistencies were good for the pain construct (α = 0.82) and disability (α = 0.88) and test-retest reliability was excellent (pain = 0.89, disability = 0.96). MDC was 5.7 (out of 100) with SEM = 2.1. Strong associations with the DASH (r = 0.63 pain, r = 0.81 disability) demonstrated its construct validity. The AUC was 0.68 and MIC was 12.3 (out of 100).

Conclusion

The Nepali version of the SPADI demonstrated excellent reliability and validity. It can be used for the assessment of shoulder pain and disability in patients with shoulder pain in Nepal in both clinical practice and research.

Structural validity and construct validity of the Dutch-Flemish PROMIS® physical function-upper extremity version 2.0 item bank in Dutch patients with upper extremity injuries

INTRODUCTION

Aim of this study was to validate the Dutch-Flemish Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Physical Function - Upper Extremity version 2.0 item bank in patients with upper extremity injuries.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Cross-sectional study. Structural validity was assessed using Confirmatory Factor Analysis examining unidimensionality. In addition, a bi-factor model was fitted. Internal consistency was assessed by Cronbach's alpha. Construct validity was examined by assessing correlations with legacy instruments Disability of Arm Shoulder and Hand, Patient Reported Wrist Evaluation and Michigan Hand Questionnaire subscale Activities in Daily Life.

RESULTS

A total of 303 patients (144 female) with mean age of 50 years (standard deviation 18) were included. Confirmatory Factor Analysis showed Comparative Fit Index of 0.94, a Tucker Lewis Index of 0.93, a Root Mean Square Error of Approximation of 0.12 and a Standardized Root Mean Residual of 0.09. Factor loadings were all above 0.70. Bifactor analysis showed an omega-H of 0.79 and Explained Common Variance of 0.67. The correlations with the legacy instruments were as expected or higher than expected.

CONCLUSION

The Dutch-Flemish Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Physical Function - Upper Extremity version 2.0 item bank measures a unidimensional trait and sufficient construct validity was found.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONCompleting Patient Reported Outcomes is time-consuming for patients and interpretability of outcomes is sometimes unclear due to some variation in psychometric properties.Computerized Adaptive Testing reduces the burden for patients by using an algorithm which decreases the amount of questions that need to be answered to 4 to 7 items.The Dutch-Flemish Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Physical Function - Upper Extremity version 2.0 item bank measures a unidimensional trait and has sufficient structural validity, internal consistency and construct validity.After calibration of the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Physical Function - Upper Extremity version 2.0, the item bank is operable to use with Computerized Adaptive Testing.

Does the outcome of diagnostic ultrasound influence the treatment modalities and recovery in patients with shoulder pain in physiotherapy practice? Results from a prospective cohort study

STUDY DESIGN

Prospective cohort study including patients with shoulder pain in primary care physiotherapy.

BACKGROUND

There is an increased tendency to use diagnostic ultrasound to aid the diagnostic strategy and target treatment. It is a relatively cheap and accessible imaging technique but the implications for practice and patients are unknown.

OBJECTIVES

To study the influence of diagnostic ultrasound (DUS) on diagnostic work-up, treatment modalities and recovery.

METHODS

Participants (n = 389) with a new episode of shoulder pain were assessed at baseline and followed for 6, 12 and 26 weeks. Diagnostic work-up, including the use of DUS, and treatment strategies were reported by the therapists at 3, 6 and 12 weeks.

RESULTS

Most patients (41%) were diagnosed with subacromial impingement/pain syndrome after physical examination or DUS. DUS was used in 31% of the participants. Tendinopathy was the most found abnormality in this sub-population. Patients who underwent DUS were more frequently treated using exercise therapy. Patients that not had DUS were more likely to receive massage therapy, trigger point therapy or mobilisation techniques. Logistic regression analyses did not show a significant association between DUS and recovery after 26 weeks (0.88, 95%CI:0.50-1.57). Correcting for the therapist as a confounder using a multilevel binary logistic regression did not show a significant cluster effect.

CONCLUSION

Diagnostic US as a work-up component does not seem to influence diagnosis or recovery but does influence the choice of treatment modality. Conclusions are limited to observational data. High quality randomized trials should study the effect of DUS on recovery.

Patients with Subacromial Pain Syndrome Present no Reduction of Shoulder Proprioception: A Matched Case-Control Study

BACKGROUND

Shoulder pain is common among patients with musculoskeletal pain and the prevalence of patients with subacromial pain syndrome (SAPS) is high. Despite the high prevalence, there is a lack of an extensive evaluation of the proprioception acuity in patients with SAPS. Knowledge of the proprioceptive deficit would assist clinicians in the proper treatment and may offer an alternative explanation for the mechanisms underlying SAPS, which are poorly understood.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the proprioceptive function of the shoulder in patients with SAPS and matched controls.

STUDY DESIGN

Matched case-control study.

SETTING

Physical Functional Rehabilitation Service of an outpatient clinic.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 32 consecutive patients with SAPS who sought physical therapy for shoulder pain and 32 healthy participants (control group) matched for age, sex, and handedness.

INTERVENTIONS

All participants completed a questionnaire containing sociodemographic information, pain intensity and characteristics, the Numerical Pain Rating Scale, and the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS

The proprioceptive assessment was performed through kinesthesia, passive joint position sense (PJPS), and the active joint position sense (AJPS).

RESULTS

The groups showed no statistically significant differences in kinesthesia, PJPS, and AJPS for internal or external rotation. The proprioceptive acuity was not associated with pain intensity or functional disability in patients with SAPS.

CONCLUSIONS

Participants with SAPS did not present proprioceptive deficits in a pain-free motion of medial and lateral rotation when compared to their matched controls. The proprioceptive deficit may not be involved with the mechanisms underlying SAPS and seems not to interfere with the clinical outcomes of patients with SAPS.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level III.

An evaluation of the structural validity of the shoulder pain and disability index (SPADI) using the Rasch model

PURPOSE

The shoulder pain and disability index (SPADI) has been extensively evaluated for its psychometric properties using classical test theory (CTT). The purpose of this study was to evaluate its structural validity using Rasch model analysis.

METHODS

Responses to the SPADI from 1030 patients referred for physiotherapy with shoulder pain and enrolled in a prospective cohort study were available for Rasch model analysis. Overall fit, individual person and item fit, response format, dependence, unidimensionality, targeting, reliability and differential item functioning (DIF) were examined.

RESULTS

The SPADI pain subscale initially demonstrated a misfit due to DIF by age and gender. After iterative analysis it showed good fit to the Rasch model with acceptable targeting and unidimensionality (overall fit Chi-square statistic 57.2, p = 0.1; mean item fit residual 0.19 (1.5) and mean person fit residual 0.44 (1.1); person separation index (PSI) of 0.83. The disability subscale however shows significant misfit due to uniform DIF even after iterative analyses were used to explore different solutions to the sources of misfit (overall fit (Chi-square statistic 57.2, p = 0.1); mean item fit residual 0.54 (1.26) and mean person fit residual 0.38 (1.0); PSI 0.84).

CONCLUSIONS

Rasch Model analysis of the SPADI has identified some strengths and limitations not previously observed using CTT methods. The SPADI should be treated as two separate subscales. The SPADI is a widely used outcome measure in clinical practice and research; however, the scores derived from it must be interpreted with caution. The pain subscale fits the Rasch model expectations well. The disability subscale does not fit the Rasch model and its current format does not meet the criteria for true interval-level measurement required for use as a primary endpoint in clinical trials. Clinicians should therefore exercise caution when interpreting score changes on the disability subscale and attempt to compare their scores to age- and sex-stratified data.

Patient-reported outcome measures for patients with meniscal tears: a systematic review of measurement properties and evaluation with the COSMIN checklist

OBJECTIVE

Meniscal tears occur frequently in the population and the most common surgical treatment, arthroscopic partial meniscectomy, is performed in approximately two million cases worldwide each year. The purpose of this systematic review is to summarise and critically appraise the evidence for the use of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) in patients with meniscal tears.

DESIGN

A systematic review was undertaken. Data on reported measurement properties were extracted and the quality of the studies appraised according to Consensus-based Standards for the Selection of Health Measurement Instruments.

DATA SOURCES

A search of MEDLINE, Embase, AMED and PsycINFO, unlimited by language or publication date (last search 20 February 2017).

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR SELECTING STUDIES

Development and validation studies reporting the measurement properties of PROMs in patients with meniscal tears were included.

RESULTS

11 studies and 10 PROMs were included. The overall quality of studies was poor. For measurement of symptoms and functional status, there is only very limited evidence supporting the selection of either the Lysholm Knee Scale, International Knee Documentation Committee Subjective Knee Form or the Dutch version of the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score. For measuring health-related quality of life, only limited evidence supports the selection of the Western Ontario Meniscal Evaluation Tool (WOMET). Of all the PROMs evaluated, WOMET has the strongest evidence for content validity.

CONCLUSION

For patients with meniscal tears, there is poor quality and incomplete evidence regarding the validity of the currently available PROMs. Further research is required to ensure these PROMs truly reflect the symptoms, function and quality of life of patients with meniscal tears.

PROPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42017056847.

The SPADI and QuickDASH Are Similarly Responsive in Patients Undergoing Physical Therapy for Shoulder Pain

Study Design Prospective multicenter longitudinal cohort study. Background A key component of assessing clinical effectiveness is to compare instruments measuring similar outcomes and to select one that is sufficiently responsive. Despite their widespread use in reporting outcomes, the responsiveness of the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI) and the shortened version of the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand questionnaire (QuickDASH) has not been compared and reported within the same population. Objective To compare the responsiveness of the SPADI and QuickDASH in a single large cohort of patients. Methods Seven hundred sixty-seven patients referred to physical therapy with shoulder pain completed the SPADI and QuickDASH at baseline, 6 weeks, and 6 months. Patients who improved (improvers) and those who did not improve (nonimprovers) were defined using a 7-point global rating of change scale. Internal and external responsiveness was evaluated. Results For improvers, the effect size and standardized response mean were large (greater than 1.00) at 6 weeks for both the SPADI and QuickDASH and further increased for both measures at 6 months. For participants who worsened, negative effect sizes and standardized response means were larger at 6 weeks than at 6 months. The area under the curve was similar for both the SPADI (0.81) and QuickDASH (0.78), increasing to 0.85 for both at 6 months. Conclusion Both instruments are similarly able to discriminate between clinical improvers and nonimprovers at either follow-up point. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2017;47(8):538-547. Epub 6 Jul 2017. doi:10.2519/jospt.2017.7195.

Creation of a core outcome set for clinical trials of people with shoulder pain: a study protocol

Background

The selection of appropriate outcomes or domains is crucial when designing clinical trials, to appreciate the effects of different interventions, pool results, and make valid comparisons between trials. If the findings are to influence policy and practice, then the chosen outcomes need to be relevant and important to key stakeholders, including patients and the public, healthcare professionals and others making decisions about health care. There is a growing recognition that insufficient attention has been paid to the outcomes measured in clinical trials. Recent reviews of the measurement properties of patient-reported outcome measures for shoulder disorders revealed a large selection of diverse measures, many with questionable validity, reliability, and responsiveness. These issues could be addressed through the development and use of an agreed standardized collection of outcomes, known as a core outcome set (COS), which should be measured and reported in all trials of shoulder disorders. The purpose of the present project is to develop and disseminate a COS for clinical trials in shoulder disorders.

Methods/Design

The methods for the COS development will include 3 phases: (1) a comprehensive review of the core domains used in shoulder disorder trials; (2) an international Delphi study involving relevant stakeholders (patients, clinicians, scientists) to define which domains should be core; and (3) an international focus group informed by the evidence identified in phases 1 and 2, to determine which measurement instruments best measure the core domains and identification of any evidence gaps that require further empiric evidence.

Discussion

The aim of the current proposal is to convene several meetings of international experts and patients to develop a COS for clinical trials of shoulder disorders and to develop an implementation strategy to ensure rapid uptake of the core set of outcomes in clinical trials. There would be an expectation that the core set of outcomes would always be collected and reported, but it would not preclude use of additional outcomes in a particular trial.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13063-017-2054-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Glenohumeral and scapulothoracic strength impairments exists in patients with subacromial impingement, but these are not reflected in the shoulder pain and disability index

BACKGROUND

Pain and loss of function are cardinal symptoms associated with Subacromial impingement syndrome (SIS), while the presence and magnitude of deficits in strength and range of motion (ROM) are largely undescribed in non-athletic patients with SIS. Moreover, the relevance of impairments in strength and ROM to patient-reported shoulder function is not well described, even though testing of strength is recommended in clinical guidelines. The purpose of this study was, first, to investigate impairments in glenohumeral and scapulothoracic strength and in abduction and internal rotation ROM in patients with SIS. Secondly, to investigate the influence of these impairments on patient-reported shoulder function.

METHODS

Cross-sectional study based on a consecutive cohort of 157 patients referred to specialist examination and diagnosed with shoulder impingement (SIS) using predefined validated diagnostic criteria. Prior to specialist examination, questionnaires regarding shoulder function (Shoulder Pain And Disability Index, SPADI) demographics and kinesiophobia (TSK-11) were collected, and shoulder strength and ROM was measured by trained testers, with the patient reporting pain levels during testing and for the last week. Impairments in strength (abduction, external-rotation, (protraction and horizontal-extension) and ROM (abduction and internal rotation) were investigated in patients with unilateral shoulder pain, using one-sample t-tests. SPADI total score (SPADI) and SPADI function score (SPADI-F), were chosen as dependent variables in multiple regressions to investigate the influence of impairments on patient-reported shoulder function. Independent variables of interest were; strength in abduction and external rotation, abduction ROM, pain-during-tests, pain-last-week and kinesiophobia.

RESULTS

Significant impairments were found for all impairment tests, but most pronounced for glenohumeral strength and abduction ROM (29-33% deficits), and less for scapulothoracic strength and internal rotation ROM (8-18% deficits). Pain variables influenced SPADI and SPADI-F score to a high degree (R2 = 23.4-31.6%, p < 0.001), while strength and ROM did not.

CONCLUSION

Substantial strength and ROM impairments were found in patients with SIS. Only pain significantly influenced patient-reported function, while impairments did not. As SPADI score does not reflect the substantial strength and ROM impairments in external rotation and abduction observed in patients with SIS, supplemental assessment of these impairments seems important.

The Responsiveness and Minimal Important Change of the Western Ontario Shoulder Instability Index and Oxford Shoulder Instability Score

Study Design Prospective cohort study. Background Patient-reported outcome measurements (PROMs) are widely used to evaluate functional limitations. Considering PROMs for shoulder instability, information is lacking with regard to what constitutes a relevant change from baseline scores. Objectives To evaluate the responsiveness of the Western Ontario Shoulder Instability Index (WOSI) and the Oxford Shoulder Instability Score (OSIS) and estimate their minimal important change (MIC). Methods One hundred five consecutive patients with shoulder instability completed 5 PROMs at baseline and at 6-month follow-up. The PROMs included the WOSI and OSIS, the Simple Shoulder Test, the Oxford Shoulder Score, and the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand assessment. Patients also rated their functional change on an anchor question at follow-up. Responsiveness was evaluated by testing 9 hypotheses regarding predefined correlations between the changes in PROM scores, by calculating the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve and by calculating the standardized response mean and effect size statistics. The MIC was determined by identifying the optimal cutoff on the receiver operating characteristic curve. Results Seven out of 9 hypotheses (78%) were confirmed; as expected, a high correlation (0.77) was found between change scores of the WOSI and OSIS, whereas the correlations of the change scores of the WOSI and OSIS with those of general shoulder PROMs were slightly lower (0.61-0.75). The area under the curve was 0.83 (95% confidence interval: 0.75, 0.91) for the OSIS and 0.82 (95% confidence interval: 0.74, 0.90) for the WOSI. The MIC was about 6 points for the OSIS and about 14 points for the WOSI. Conclusion Both the WOSI and OSIS are able to measure change in shoulder function in patients with shoulder instability. The estimated MIC is 6 points for the OSIS (on a scale from 0 to 48) and 14 points for the WOSI (on a scale from 0 to 100). J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2017;47(6):402-410. doi:10.2519/jospt.2017.6548.

A short activity-related scale for measuring shoulder function in patients with subacromial pain: the DASH 7

Background

Subacromial pain is a common cause of shoulder dysfunction that negatively affects quality of life. Currently, most outcome measures for shoulder pain are applied to a heterogeneous group of patients. Of these measures, the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) is the most widely recognized test with which to assess patients with subacromial pain. The primary aim of this study was to assess the content validity of DASH for patients with subacromial pain, with a secondary aim to test responsiveness to a modified set of DASH items tailored to these patients.

Methods

There were 129 patients who reported activities in the Patient-Specific Functional Scale (PSFS). To assess validity, 5 independent physiotherapists matched PSFS activities to the most appropriate DASH item. DASH items identified as being of greatest importance to patients were those corresponding to the highest number of PSFS-matched activities. Calculations were made for responsiveness and internal consistency.

Results

Physiotherapists matched DASH items to 271 PSFS activities, reaching agreement for almost 80%. Seven DASH items (DASH 7) were identified as being particularly important. Effect size data (Cohen's d) were 0.93 for DASH 7, 0.92 for DASH 30, and 0.85 for QuickDASH; the corresponding Cronbach's α values (for DASH 7, DASH 30, and QuickDASH) were 0.84, 0.94, and 0.86, respectively.

Conclusions

DASH 7 is a short, patient-centered, and activity-related scale that can measure shoulder function in patients with subacromial pain using a quarter of the original DASH items. DASH 7 demonstrated responsiveness, with a satisfactory level of internal consistency.

The Responsiveness and Interpretability of the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index

Study Design Clinical measurement study, prospective cohort design. Background Shoulder pain is a common disorder, and treatment is most often focused on a reduction of pain and functional disabilities. Several reviews have encouraged the use of the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI) to objectify functional disability. It is important to assess the responsiveness and interpretability of the SPADI in patients seeking physical therapy treatment for their shoulder pain in a primary care setting. Objective To assess the responsiveness and interpretability of the SPADI in patients with shoulder pain visiting a physical therapist in primary care. Methods The target population consisted of patients who consulted a physical therapist for their shoulder pain. The patients received physical therapy treatment and completed the Dutch-language version of the SPADI at baseline and at 26-week follow-up. The interpretability floor and ceiling effects and the minimal important change (MIC) were assessed using the receiver operating characteristic method, and a visual anchor-based MIC distribution method was used to assess several Global Perceived Effect scale (GPE)-based anchors. The measurement error was calculated using the smallest detectable change. For the responsiveness, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was used, and correlations with the GPE and the change score of the Shoulder Disability Questionnaire (as this questionnaire measures the same construct) were assessed. Results A total of 356 patients participated at baseline and 237 (67%) returned the SPADI after 26 weeks. The mean score on the SPADI at baseline was 46.7 points (on a 0-100 scale). The SPADI showed no signs of floor and ceiling effects. The smallest detectable change was 19.7 points. The MIC was 20 (43% of baseline value), and therefore a change of 43% or more in an individual patient was considered to be clinically relevant. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was 0.81, the Spearman correlation between the SPADI change score and the GPE was 0.53, and the Pearson correlation between the Shoulder Disability Questionnaire and the SPADI change score was 0.71. Conclusion The results of this study confirm the responsiveness of the SPADI, making it a useful instrument to assess functional disability in longitudinal studies; however, the measurement error should be taken into account when making decisions in individual patients. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2017;47(4):278-286. Epub 3 Feb 2017. doi:10.2519/jospt.2017.7079.

Core outcome sets for research and clinical practice

BACKGROUND

This masterclass introduces the topic of core outcome sets, describing rationale and methods for developing them, and providing some examples that are relevant for clinical research and practice.

METHOD

A core outcome set is a minimum consensus-based set of outcomes that should be measured and reported in all clinical trials for a specific health condition and/or intervention. Issues surrounding outcome assessment, such as selective reporting and inconsistency across studies, can be addressed by the development of a core set. As suggested by key initiatives in this field (i.e. OMERACT and COMET), the development requires achieving consensus on: (1) core outcome domains and (2) core outcome measurement instruments. Different methods can be used to reach consensus, including: literature systematic reviews to inform the process, qualitative research with clinicians and patients, group discussions (e.g. nominal group technique), and structured surveys (e.g. Delphi technique). Various stakeholders should be involved in the process, with particular attention to patients.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

Several COSs have been developed for musculoskeletal conditions including a longstanding one for low back pain, IMMPACT recommendations on outcomes for chronic pain, and OMERACT COSs for hip, knee and hand osteoarthritis. There is a lack of COSs for neurological, geriatric, cardio-respiratory and pediatric conditions, therefore, future research could determine the value of developing COSs for these conditions.