Researchers used a modified Delphi method to conduct a scoping review that identified measures to assess lumbar spinal stenosis symptoms and published their results in The Spine Journal.
They included 31 subject matter experts and prioritized the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health measures.
The study authors found:
1. After prioritizing 53 ICF codes, there were three codes that received 100 percent endorsement from the subject matter experts.
2. Twenty-three codes received 80 percent or fewer endorsement; 27 codes received 90 percent or more endorsement.
3. The ICF codes included pain, activities, participation and emotional well-being in addition to others.
4. The subject matter expert review 58 instruments and retained 24 for content analysis, according to the study abstract.
5. Study authors concluded their retained instruments represented the activities and participation as well as body function domains. The body structure and elemental factors weren't frequently assessed.
"Adoption of these common data elements may guide clinical decision-making and facilitate comparative effectiveness trials for interventions focused on lumbar spinal stenosis," concluded the study authors.