Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation
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Arch Phys Med Rehabil · Jun 2002
Comparative StudyThe use of Rasch measurement to improve the Oswestry classification scheme.
To use Rasch measurement to assess and modify the original classification categories of the Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire (Oswestry), to examine the hypothesis that the items from the Oswestry form a unidimensional construct and a hierarchical representation of low back pain (LBP) disability, and to compare ordinal Likert resultant scores to interval Rasch scaled scores with disability categories serving as a framework. ⋯ Rasch analysis produced disability categories in the Oswestry that are linear and, therefore, useful for quantitatively assessing self-reported disability levels.
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Arch Phys Med Rehabil · Jun 2002
ReviewAbrupt withdrawal from intrathecal baclofen: recognition and management of a potentially life-threatening syndrome.
To suggest guidelines for the prevention, recognition, and management of a life-threatening syndrome (high fever, altered mental status, profound muscular rigidity that sometimes progressed to fatal rhabdomyolysis) in patients who experience the abrupt withdrawal of intrathecal baclofen (ITB) therapy. ⋯ Most episodes of severe ITB withdrawal were preventable. Patients at risk can be identified and educated prospectively and given medication for emergency use. Treatment with GABAergic agonist drugs may prevent potentially fatal sequelae.