Spine
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Comparative Study
Clinimetric testing of three self-report outcome measures for low back pain patients in Brazil: which one is the best?
Translation, cross-cultural adaptation, and clinimetric testing of self-report outcome measures. ⋯ The results from this study demonstrate that the Brazilian-Portuguese versions of the RMDQ, the FRI and the PSFS have similar clinimetric properties to each other and to the original English versions. Of allthe measures tested in this study the PSFS seems the most responsive. These measures will enable international comparisons to be performed, and encourage researchers to include Portuguese speakers in their clinical trials.
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Retrospective analysis of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and clinical findings about chemical radiculitis-associated anular tear in patients with radiculopathy. ⋯ The perianular enhancement adjacent to anular tears on MRI may be relevant in the diagnosis of symptomatic chemical radiculitis.
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Comparative Study
A biomechanical evaluation of three revision screw strategies for failed lateral mass fixation.
This is a biomechanical study evaluating 3 revision strategies for failed cervical lateral mass screw fixation. ⋯ Conversion of a stripped lateral mass screw to an alternate trajectory appears to offer no biomechanical advantage over placement of an increased diameter salvage screw using the same trajectory. Pedicle screw fixation provides superior biomechanical fixation but was associated with a significant breech rate.
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Prospective cohort study. ⋯ The results suggest that causal beliefs may play a major role in the perceived disability and course of neck complaints after motor vehicle accidents, whereas pain catastrophizing is predominantly related to concurrent disability.The current findings are consistent with the view that an early conviction that neck complaints are caused by the medico-cultural entity whiplash has a detrimental effect on the course of symptoms.
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Immunohistological and behavioral analysis of the effect of a tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) inhibitor in an injured-nerve model. ⋯ Our results indicate that direct application of a TNF-alpha inhibitor had a small effect on acute pain behavior and may not be effective for suppression of inflammatory peptides in the current disc-herniation model.