Machine Learning Based Linking of Patient Reported Outcome Measures to WHO International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health Activity/Participation Categories.

Background: In the primary and secondary medical health sector, patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) are widely used to assess a patient's disease-related functional health state. However, the World Health Organization (WHO), in its recently adopted resolution on "strengthening rehabilitation in all health systems", encourages that all health sectors, not only the rehabilitation sector, classify a patient's functioning and health state according to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF).

Aim: This research sought to optimize machine learning (ML) methods that fully and automatically link information collected from PROMs in persons with unspecific chronic low back pain (cLBP) to limitations in activities and restrictions in participation that are listed in the WHO core set categories for LBP.

The Back Muscle Surface Electromyography-Based Fatigue Index: A Digital Biomarker of Human Neuromuscular Aging?

As part of our quest for digital biomarkers of neuromuscular aging, and encouraged by recent findings in healthy volunteers, this study investigated if the instantaneous median frequency (IMDF) derived from back muscle surface electromyographic (SEMG) data monitored during cyclic back extensions could reliably differentiate between younger and older individuals with cLBP. A total of 243 persons with cLBP participated in three experimental sessions: at baseline, one to two days after the first session, and then again approximately six weeks later. During each session, the study participants performed a series of three isometric maximal voluntary contractions (MVC) of back extensors using a dynamometer.

Reproducibility of the 6-minute walk test in lung transplant recipients.

Purpose: There is reason to believe that the favorable measurement properties of the 6‑minute walk test (6MWT) reported for retest reliability and its capability to detect a true change in healthy individuals or persons with chronic respiratory disease may not apply to lung transplant recipients (LuTXr). We therefore investigated retest reliability of the 6MWT and, in addition, made an attempt to explore whether the 6MWT was sensitive enough to detect important changes that occur with postacute rehabilitation in LuTXr after first time LuTX.

Methods: Immediately before postacute rehabilitation, 50 LuTXr completed 6MWT testing twice, separated by 1-2 workdays (retest reliability), and were reassessed after completion of rehabilitation 2 months later (sensitivity to changes).

Perceived psychosocial stressors and coping resources in chronic low back pain patients as classified by the avoidance-endurance model.

Objectives: The Avoidance-Endurance Model distinguishes between subgroups of low back pain (LBP) patients with three maladaptive styles of coping with pain: fear-avoidance (FAR), distress-endurance (DER), eustress-endurance (EER), and one adaptive coping style (AR). This study aimed to compare the quantity of patients' perceived psychosocial stressors and coping resources across these subgroups.

Materials And Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at an outpatient rehabilitation center for patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain.

Do the WHO-ICF personal factors "age" and "sex" impact limited activity and restricted participation category profiles differently between younger and older women and men in multimodal chronic back pain rehabilitation?

Purpose: To investigate if the International Classification of Functioning and Health (ICF) context factors "age" and "sex" would impact the disablement and respective improvement with rehabilitation defined with the ICF core set for chronic low back pain (cLBP). Furthermore, associations between limitations/restrictions and measures of body function or quality of life were of interest.

Materials And Methods: One thousand five hundred and twelve employed cLBP patients who completed 6 months of outpatient rehabilitation and for whom complete assessments were available before and after rehabilitation.

Changes in the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health Components "Activity/Participation" as Predicted Through Patient-Reported Outcomes Along With Comprehensive Back Pain Rehabilitation.

Objectives: The World Health Organization (WHO) recommended the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) but its use in clinical practice is sparse. This study investigated the limitations and restrictions in the most relevant brief ICF core set categories for chronic low back pain (cLBP) as automatically predicted from routinely measured outcomes using a novel, validated mapping algorithm.

Materials And Methods: Of 2718 cLBP patients recruited, data from 1541 (64% females) were available from before and at the end of 6 months comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation.

Cardiopulmonary response to high-altitude mountaineering in lung transplant recipients-The Jebel Toubkal experience.

Objectives: Only a small proportion of lung transplant recipients achieve a physical status comparable to healthy individuals in the long term. It is reasonable to hypothesize that the necessary cardiopulmonary adaptation required for strenuous physical exercise may be impaired. Exposure to high altitude provides an optimal platform to study the physiological cardiopulmonary adaptation in lung transplant recipients under aerobic conditions.

In-depth analysis of life values and their corresponding inhibitors and facilitators in chronic low back pain patients: A mixed-method approach.

Background: The struggle with pain often interferes with the ability of chronic low back pain (CLBP) patients to pursue important life values due to psychological inflexibility.

Objective: This research examined life values, related inhibitors and facilitators relevant to personalized therapy planning.

Methods: Two hundred and forty-four CLBP patients completed the Chronic Pain Values Inventory (CPVI).

Mapping patient reported outcome measures for low back pain to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health using random forests.

Background: There is need for feasible and efficient concepts to document patients functioning impairment according to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) without imposing additional burden to clinical practice.

Aim: The aim of this study was to develop and validate an automatic linking approach that translates information derived from patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) into the ICF.

Design: Proof-of-concept study.

Correction to: Age- and sex-specific effects in paravertebral surface electromyographic back extensor muscle fatigue in chronic low back pain.

Unfortunately, the author names in the author group section were incorrectly captured in the published online paper.

Overactivity in Chronic Pain, the Role of Pain-related Endurance and Neuromuscular Activity: An Interdisciplinary, Narrative Review.

Objectives: Decades of research have convincingly shown that fear of pain and pain-related avoidance behavior are important precursors of disability in daily life. Reduced activity as a consequence of avoidance, however, cannot be blamed for chronic disability in all patients. A contrasting behavior, pain-related dysfunctional endurance in a task and overactivity has to be considered.

Age- and sex-specific effects in paravertebral surface electromyographic back extensor muscle fatigue in chronic low back pain.

The impact of aging on the back muscles is not well understood, yet may hold clues to both normal aging and chronic low back pain (cLBP). This study sought to investigate whether the median frequency (MF) surface electromyographic (SEMG) back muscle fatigue method-a proxy for glycolytic muscle metabolism-would be able to detect age- and sex-specific differences in neuromuscular and muscle metabolic functions in individuals with cLBP in a reliable way, and whether it would be as sensitive as when used on healthy individuals. With participants seated on a dynamometer (20° trunk anteflexion), paraspinal SEMG activity was recorded bilaterally from the multifidus (L5), longissimus (L2), and iliolumbalis (L1) muscles during isometric, sustained back extensions loaded at 80% of maximum from 117 younger (58 females) and 112 older (56 female) cLBP individuals.

Impairments in Postural Control and Retest Reliability of Dynamic Posturographic Measures After Lung Transplantation.

Objectives: The aims of the study were to classify impairments in postural control using computerized posturography in lung transplant recipients undergoing subacute rehabilitation and to examine the retest reliability of these measures.

Methods: In a prospective repeated-measures study, 50 lung transplant recipients underwent clinical and quantitative posturographic testing (SMART EquiTest), which included the sensory organization test, motor control test, and limits of stability test. Testing was repeated after 1 to 2 days and upon completion of rehabilitation, 2 mos later.

Myostatin and other musculoskeletal markers in lung transplant recipients.

Recipients of lung transplantation (LuTx) may experience impaired muscle function and bone metabolism even after rehabilitation. We investigated the potential use of musculoskeletal markers in identifying the impairment of muscle function and bone function in these patients. Biochemical parameters, bodily functions, and lung function of 37 LuTx recipients were evaluated at the time of their discharge from the hospital stay and about 6 months later.

Rheumatoid arthritis in remission : Decreased myostatin and increased serum levels of periostin.

Background: Chronic inflammation of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with disturbances in muscle and bone metabolism.

Aim: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether endocrine regulators of myogenesis and bone metabolism in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in remission differed from unaffected healthy controls. An additional point was whether these were associated with patients' health-related functioning or particular bodily functions of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF).

Long-Term Course of Shoulders After Ultrasound Therapy for Calcific Tendinitis: Results of the 10-Year Follow-Up of a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective: The aim of the study was to follow both the structure- and function-related long-term course of shoulders that had been treated with therapeutic ultrasound for symptomatic calcific tendinitis.

Design: This is a long-term follow-up of 45 shoulders (37 patients) that had been treated for symptomatic calcific tendinitis with either a series of ultrasound or sham ultrasound 10 yrs ago. The main outcome variables were presence of calcium deposits and subacromial impingement on standardized x-ray imaging, shoulder symptoms (Binder score), and function (Constant score).

The impact of age and gender on the ICF-based assessment of chronic low back pain.

Purpose: To evaluate the impact of age and gender on the international classification of functioning, disability and health (ICF)-based assessment for chronic low back pain.

Methods: Two hundred forty-four chronic low back pain patients (52% female) with a mean age of 49 years (SD =17.64) were interviewed with the comprehensive ICF core set for activities and participation, and environmental factors.

Feasibility and Reliability of Functional Muscle Tests in Lung Transplant Recipients.

Objective: This study investigates the feasibility, reliability, and correlations of recommended functional tests in lung transplant recipients shortly after surgery.

Design: This is an observational study.

Methods: Fifty patients (28 females) performed well-standardized maximum isometric back extension in a sitting position, handgrip strength, and Biering-Sørensen endurance tests shortly before discharge from the acute hospital, shortly thereafter, and 2 mos later after subacute rehabilitation.

Estimating Neural Control from Concentric vs. Eccentric Surface Electromyographic Representations during Fatiguing, Cyclic Submaximal Back Extension Exercises.

To investigate the differences in neural control of back muscles activated during the eccentric vs. the concentric portions of a cyclic, submaximal, fatiguing trunk extension exercise via the analysis of amplitude and time-frequency parameters derived from surface electromyographic (SEMG) data. Using back dynamometers, 87 healthy volunteers performed three maximum voluntary isometric trunk extensions (MVC's), an isometric trunk extension at 80% MVC, and 25 cyclic, dynamic trunk extensions at 50% MVC.

Comparisons in Muscle Function and Training Rehabilitation Outcomes Between Avoidance-Endurance Model Subgroups.

Objectives: Evidence suggests that chronic low back pain patients with fear-avoidance (FAR) or endurance behavior are at risk of treatment failure and pain maintenance, with bodily overuse or underuse being assumed as mediating mechanisms for pain chronification. This study sought to examine whether or not the avoidance-endurance model subgroups, FAR, distress-endurers (DER), eustress-endurers (EER), and adaptive responders (AR), differed in physical measures and outcomes after training therapy.

Materials And Methods: A total of 137 chronic low back pain patients were assessed before, at the end of, and 6 months after a 6-month rehabilitation training.

Predictors of an unfavorable outcome 1.5 and 12 years after a first, uncomplicated lumbar disc surgery.

Purpose: To identify predictors of both intermediate and long-term unfavorable outcomes after first time, uncomplicated lumbar disc surgery.

Methods: Patients (n = 120) who had undergone lumbar disc surgery were followed up 1.5 and 12 years thereafter.

Age-related test-retest reliability of isometric trunk torque measurements in patiens with chronic low back pain.

Objective: To investigate the short- and long-term reliability of isometric trunk strength measurements in patients with chronic low back pain in different age groups.

Design: Test-retest reliability study.

Patients: A total of 210 patients (age groups 18-39, 40-59 and 60-90 years).