Predictive value of the five-repetition sit-to-stand test for outcomes after surgery for lumbar disc herniation: prospective study

OBJECTIVE

It is unknown whether presence of pre-operative objective functional impairment (OFI) can predict post-operative outcomes in patients with lumbar disc herniation (LDH). We aimed to determine whether pre-operative OFI measured by the five-repetition sit-to-stand test (5R-STS) could predict outcomes at 12-months post-discectomy.

METHODS

Adult patients with LDH scheduled for surgery were prospectively recruited from a Dutch short-stay spinal clinic. The 5R-STS time and patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) including Oswestry Disability Index, Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for back and leg pain, EQ-5D-3L health-related quality of life, EQ5D-VAS and ability to work were recorded pre-operatively and at 12-months. A 5R-STS time cut-off of ≥ 10.5 s was used to determine OFI. Mann-Whitney and Chi-square tests were employed to determine significant differences in post-operative outcomes between groups stratified by presence of pre-operative OFI.

RESULTS

We recruited 134 patients in a prospective study. Twelve-month follow-up was completed by 103 (76.8%) patients. Mean age was 53.2 ± 14.35 years and 50 (48.5%) patients were female. Pre-operatively, 53 (51.5%) patients had OFI and 50 (48.5%) did not. Post-operatively, patients with OFI experienced a significantly greater mean change (p < 0.001) across all PROMs compared to patients without OFI, except leg pain (p = 0.176). There were no significant differences in absolute PROMs between groups at 12-months (all p > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The presence of OFI based on 5R-STS time does not appear to decrease a patient's likelihood of experiencing satisfactory post-operative outcomes. The 5R-STS cannot predict how a patient with LDH will respond to surgery at 12-month follow-up.

Predictors of five-repetition sit-to-stand test performance in patients with lumbar degenerative disease

BACKGROUND

The five-repetition sit-to-stand test (5R-STS) has recently been validated as an objective measure of functional impairment in patients with lumbar degenerative disease (LDD). Knowledge of factors influencing 5R-STS performance is useful to correct for confounders, create personalized adjusted test times, and potentially identify prognostic subgroups. We evaluate factors predicting the 5R-STS performance in patients with LDD.

METHODS

Patients with LDD requiring surgery were included. Each participant performed the 5R-STS and completed a questionnaire that included their age, gender, weight, height, body mass index (BMI), smoking status, education level, employment type, ability to work, analgesic drug usage, history of previous spinal surgery, and EQ5D depression and anxiety domain. Surgical indication and index level of the spinal pathology were also recorded. Predictors of 5R-STS were identified through multivariable linear regression.

RESULTS

The cohort consisted of 240 patients, 47.9% being female (mean age, 47.7 ± 13.6 years). In the final multivariable model incorporating confounders, height (regression coefficient (RC), 0.08; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.003/0.16, p = 0.042) and being an active smoker (RC, 2.44; 95%CI, 0.56/4.32, p = 0.012) were significant predictors of worse 5R-STS performance. Full ability to work (RC, - 2.39; 95%CI, - 4.39/ - 0.39, p = 0.020) was associated with a better 5R-STS performance. Age, height, surgical indication, index level of pathology, history of previous spine surgery, history of pain, analgesic drug use, employment type, and severity of anxiety and depression symptoms demonstrated confounding effect on the 5R-STS time.

CONCLUSIONS

Greater height, being an active smoker, and inability to work are significant predictors of worse 5R-STS performance in patients with LDD.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03303300 and NCT03321357.

Five-Repetition Sit-to-Stand Test Performance in Healthy Individuals: Reference Values and Predictors From 2 Prospective Cohorts

Objective

The 5-repetition-sit-to-stand (5R-STS) test is an objective test of functional impairment- commonly used in various diseases, including lumbar degenerative disc diseases. It is used to measure the severity of disease and to monitor recovery. We aimed to evaluate reference values for the test, as well as factors predicting 5R-STS performance in healthy adults.

Methods

Healthy adults (> 18 years of age) were recruited, and their 5R-STS time was measured. Their age, sex, weight, height, body mass index (BMI), smoking status, education level, work situation and EuroQOL-5D Healthy & Anxiety category were recorded. Linear regression analysis was employed to identify predictors of 5R-STS performance.

Results

We included 172 individuals with mean age of 39.4±14.1 years and mean BMI of 24.0 ±4.0 kg/m². Females constituted 57%. Average 5R-STS time was 6.21 ±1.92 seconds, with an upper limit of normal of 12.39 seconds. In a multivariable model, age (regression coefficient [RC], 0.07; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.05/0.09; p<0.001), male sex (RC, -0.87; 95% CI, -1.50 to -0.23; p=0.008), BMI (RC, 0.40; 95% CI, 0.10–0.71; p=0.010), height (RC, 0.13; 95% CI, 0.04–0.22; p=0.006), and houseworker status (RC, -1.62; 95% CI, -2.93 to -0.32; p=0.016) were significantly associated with 5R-STS time. Anxiety and depression did not influence performance significantly (RC, 0.82; 95% CI, -0.14 to 1.77; p=0.097).

Conclusion

The presented reference values can be applied as normative data for 5R-STS in healthy adults, and are necessary to judge what constitutes abnormal performance. We identified several significant factors associated with 5R-STS performance that may be used to calculate individualized expected test times.

Objective evaluation of the ``scratch collapse test'' for the diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome

PURPOSE

Evaluate the Scratch Collapse Test in an objective way, by replacing the subjective evaluation made by the physician with an objective evaluation measure, made with a digital dynamometer.

METHODS

Observational study carried out, in 90 patients divided into three groups of 30 patients, taking into account the electromyographic study of the median nerve in the carpal tunnel (no alteration, moderate, severe).The external rotation of the shoulder was measured in four different situations (no scratch, scratch over the carpal tunnel, scratch in the dorsum of the wrist and scratch in the shoulder).

RESULTS

There were no statistical differences in the result of the strength in any of the four different situations in patients without carpal tunnel of with moderate carpal tunnel syndrome. However, there were statistical differences between the basal measurement (without scratching) and the measurement after tunnel scratching in patients with severe carpal tunnel syndrome. But this statistical difference was only 0.08 kg in the average measure, and this difference is clinically undetectable and far for producing a real collapse of the external rotation of the shoulder.

CONCLUSION

The Scratch Collapse Test is not a valid diagnostic exam for carpal tunnel syndrome if the strength is measured in an objective manner.

Lying down looking down test: Evaluating patient suitability for small incision cataract surgery using assisted topical anesthesia

Purpose:

The objective of this study was to evaluate an OPD-based Lying down looking down (LDLD) test for the assessment of patient suitability for assisted topical anesthesia (ATA) during manual small incision cataract surgery (MSICS), and to compare it with assisted local anesthesia (ALA).

Methods:

The LDLD test was carried out during preoperative assessment of 250 consecutive patients. A standard LED torch was shined in patient's eye after pupil dilation, with the patient in lying down position, while simultaneously elevating the upper eyelid digitally. A positive test was indicated by the ability to maintain downward gaze and the lack of squeezing of eyes or withdrawal. Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests were used to assess the association between LDLD results and suitability for ATA. The positive predictive value and specificity of the test as an indicator of patient suitability for ATA were calculated. Complications (intra- and post-operative) and postoperative inflammation at day 1 and week 6 were compared between the ATA and ALA groups.

Results:

A total of 250 patients were included in the study, 138 in ALA group and 112 in ATA group. There were 109 males (43.6%) and 141 females (56.4%). Around 7.4% of LDLD- positive patients were converted to ALA during the surgery. Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests demonstrated a significant association of a positive LDLD test with successful ATA (P value 0.002). The positive predictive value and specificity of the test were 92.56% (95% CI86.87-95.9%) and 93.48% (95% CI87.98-96.97%), respectively. Intraoperative complications were similar in both the groups. Congestion and visually significant corneal edema were significantly less in ATA group.

Conclusion:

The LDLD is a simple, highly specific, OPD-based test to determine patient suitability for MSICS under ATA

Measuring implanted patient response to tone pips

Background

An electrical potential not previously reported—electrical cochlear response (ECR)—observed only in implanted patients is described. Its amplitude and growth slope are a measurement of the stimulation achieved by a tone pip on the auditory nerve. The stimulation and recording system constructed for this purpose, the features of this potential obtained in a group of 43 children, and its possible clinical use are described. The ECR is obtained by averaging the EEG epochs acquired each time the cochlear implant (CI) processes a tone pip of known frequency and intensity when the patient is sleeping and using the CI in everyday mode. The ECR is sensitive to tone pip intensity level, microphone sensitivity, sound processor gain, dynamic range of electrical current, and responsiveness to electrical current of the auditory nerve portion involved with the electrode under test. It allows individual evaluation of intracochlear electrodes by choosing, one at the time, the central frequency of the electrode as the test tone pip frequency, so the ECR measurement due to a variable intensity tone pip allows to establish the suitability of the dynamic range of the electrode current.

Results

There is a difference in ECR measurements when patients are grouped based on their auditory behavior. The ECR slope and amplitude for the Sensitive group is 0.2 μV/dB_HL and 10 μV at 50 dB_HL compared with 0.04 μV/dB_HL and 3 μV at 50dB_HL for the Inconsistent group. The clinical cases show that adjusting the dynamic range of current based on the ECR improved the patient’s auditory behavior.

Conclusions

ECR can be recorded regardless of the artifact due to the electromyographic activity of the patient and the functioning of the CI. Its amplitude and growth slope versus the intensity of the stimulus differs between electrodes. The relationship between minimum ECR detection intensity level and auditory threshold suggests the possibility of estimating patient auditory thresholds this way. ECR does not depend on the subject’s age, cooperation, or health status. It can be obtained at any time after implant surgery and the test procedure is the same regardless of device manufacturer.