Objective: To generate crosswalk equations and tables for 4 pain impact measures: the Impact Stratification Score (ISS), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ), and the Pain, Enjoyment of Life and General Activity Scale (PEG).
Design: Cross-sectional survey assessing demographics and pain impact. Crosswalks were developed using item-response theory (IRT) cocalibrations and linear regressions between the ISS, ODI, RMDQ, and PEG.
Purpose Of Review: Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is a chronic headache disorder with increasing prevalence. Although characterized by raised intracranial pressure causing papilledema with a risk of visual impairment, psychological symptoms such as depression, anxiety, and cognitive impairment are frequently seen but are understudied and under-reported. Together, these can negatively affect quality of life.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground Although idiopathic aqueductal stenosis is a congenital disorder, some patients present in adulthood. Many theories have tried to account for the late-onset presentation; however, the aetiology remains uncertain. This study aimed to investigate the clinical presentation, management, and outcomes of patients with late-onset idiopathic aqueductal stenosis (LIAS) managed at our centre.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: In North America, there is a notable underutilization of complementary and integrative health approaches (CIH) among non-White and marginalized communities.
Objectives: This study sought to understand how CIH educational instutitions are proactively working to redress this disparity in access and utilization among these communities.
Methods: We conducted interviews with 26 key informants, including presidents, clinicians, and research deans across 13 CIH educational institutions across the US and Canada.
This commentary makes the case for greater collaboration between public health professionals and integrative, complementary and traditional health practitioners (ICTHP). Previous partnerships have been successful, and more such collaborative work is needed to help overcome division, enhance the health workforce, and move all involved toward shared goals. ICTHP providers may be uniquely able to work across ideological differences and engage individuals and communities who are less trusting of public health, including those who are vaccine hesitant.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFChilds Nerv Syst
August 2023
Purpose: A delay in obtaining a diagnosis has been associated with inferior outcomes across several cancer types, including paediatric brain tumours. However, no clear evidence exists in this population. We aimed to quantify the reported pre-diagnostic symptom interval (PSI) as the time from onset of first symptoms to diagnosis in the literature, in addition to evaluating the relationship between delay and outcomes, including survival.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: The purpose of this project was to explore barriers to the involvement of complementary and integrative health (CIH) providers in the public health response to COVID-19 and potential solutions for future involvement in public health crises.
Methods: An expert panel of 10 people, which included doctors of chiropractic, naturopathic doctors, public health practitioners, and researchers from the United States, was convened for a day-long online panel discussion. Facilitators asked panelists how CIH practitioners could contribute and be mobilized.
Introduction: Traditional plant medicines (TPMs) are plant-derived therapeutic products prepared and applied according to longstanding medical customs. Around the world they are widely used in primary and preventative health care. The World Health Organization (WHO) calls in its Traditional Medicine Strategy 2014-2023 for Member States to provide a regulatory framework so that the formal contribution of traditional therapeutics can be advanced in national systems of health care.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis study sought to identify differences in cannabis use and perceptions about cannabis in mitigating seizure-related symptoms in patients with epilepsy, and to evaluate differences in these patterns between drug-resistant versus pharmacoresponsive epilepsy. A collection of self-report surveys completed by patients with epilepsy (n = 76) were used to retrospectively compare differences in those with drug-resistant versus pharmacoresponsive epilepsy regarding 1) proportion who used cannabis, 2) frequency of use, 3) method of use, and 4) reason for use. A Cochran-Armitage test for trend indicated that of patients who used cannabis, a higher proportion of patients in the drug-resistant group used more frequently than in the pharmacoresponsive group.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Anterior sacral meningocele (ASM) is an uncommon variant of spinal dysraphism. Surgical correction for this condition is challenging and optimal corrective approaches are uncertain.
Objective: To share our experience of managing this rare condition using the posterior trans-sacral approach and provide a contemporary review of the literature.
Among those with low back pain (LBP), individuals with chronic LBP (CLBP) face different treatment recommendations and incur the majority of suffering and costs. However, the way CLBP has been defined varies greatly. This study used a scoping review and qualitative and quantitative analyses of data from LBP patients to explore this variation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFComplementary and integrative health (CIH) providers, such as chiropractors and naturopathic doctors, have been an underutilized public health asset in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This article seeks to inform how they can be better integrated into future responses to public health emergencies. The authors convened an expert panel of ten CIH and public health practitioners and researchers for a daylong discussion of how the CIH workforce could be better mobilized during future crises.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: In 2014, the National Institutes of Health Pain Consortium Research Task Force recommended that patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP) be stratified by its impact on their lives. They proposed the Impact Stratification Score (ISS) to help guide therapy and facilitate study comparability. The ISS has been evaluated as a continuous measure, but not for use as a stratification or classification scheme.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Vaccines have been key in preventing COVID-19 infections and the AstraZeneca (AZ) vaccine has been widely used. However, increased rates of thromboembolic events were identified in recipients and, subsequently, a syndrome of vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopaenia (VITT) was described whereby recipients presented with venous sinus thromboses, haemorrhagic infarctions, and - consequently - raised intracranial pressure. National guidance recommended decompressive craniectomies for refractory intracranial hypertension.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: The purpose of this study was to compare the crowdsourcing platform Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) with in-person recruitment and web-based surveys as a method to (1) recruit study participants and (2) obtain low-cost data quickly from chiropractic patients with chronic low back pain in the United States.
Methods: In this 2-arm quasi-experimental study, we used in-person clinical sampling and web-based surveys from a separate study (RAND sample, n = 1677, data collected October 2016 to January 2017) compared with MTurk (n = 310, data collected November 2016) as a sampling and data collection tool. We gathered patient-reported health outcomes and other characteristics of adults with chronic low back pain receiving chiropractic care.
J Manipulative Physiol Ther
October 2021
Objective: The objective of this study was to compare patients' perspectives on the use of spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) compared to prescription drug therapy (PDT) with regard to health-related quality of life (HRQoL), patient beliefs, and satisfaction with treatment.
Methods: Four cohorts of Medicare beneficiaries were assembled according to previous treatment received as evidenced in claims data: SMT, PDT, and 2 crossover cohorts (where participants experienced both types of treatments). A total of 195 Medicare beneficiaries responded to the survey.
Objective: This study examines Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS®)-29 v1.0 outcomes of chiropractic care in a multi-site, pragmatic clinical trial and compares the PROMIS measures to: 1) worst pain intensity from a numerical pain rating 0-10 scale, 2) 24-item Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ); and 3) global improvement (modified visual analog scale).
Design: A pragmatic, prospective, multisite, parallel-group comparative effectiveness clinical trial comparing usual medical care (UMC) with UMC plus chiropractic care (UMC+CC).
Objectives: The purpose of this study was to compare Medicare healthcare expenditures for patients who received long-term treatment of chronic low back pain (cLBP) with either opioid analgesic therapy (OAT) or spinal manipulative therapy (SMT).
Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational study using a cohort design for analysis of Medicare claims data. The study population included Medicare beneficiaries enrolled under Medicare Parts A, B, and D from 2012 through 2016.
J Neurol Surg B Skull Base
December 2021
Venous sinus compromise (VSC) of the sigmoid sinus can manifest as either venous sinus thrombosis, stenosis, or a combination of the two. It may occur following retro and presigmoid craniotomy, even in the absence of overt intraoperative sinus injury. Currently, the optimal management of VSC in the perioperative period is not well established.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFStudy Design: RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method (RUAM) applied to chiropractic manipulation for patients with chronic low-back pain (CLBP) and chronic neck pain (CNP).
Objective: Determine the rate of appropriate care provided by US chiropractors.
Summary Of Background Data: Spinal manipulation has been shown effective for CLBP and CNP but may not be appropriate for all patients with these conditions.