The Sensational Hand: Clinical Assessment after Nerve Repair

Following the transection and repair of major nerve trunks in the forearm, the functional outcome is influenced by mechanisms in the peripheral, as well as in the central nervous system. In the present thesis the interest is focused on assessment of the outcome after nerve repair, central nervous factors influencing the outcome, and sense substitution to compensate for sensory loss. A new model instrument for routine documentation of the outcome after repair of a peripheral nerve is identified. The model includes assessments reflecting sensory, motor and pain/discomfort domains. Investigations of frequently used assessment instruments led to the construction and evaluation of a new test instrument for assessment of discriminative sensibility (tactile gnosis) to fit in the model. The summarised outcome, calculated from the model instrument and with a numerical scoring system, conforms well with the patient's opinion on the influence on activities of daily living resulting from the nerve injury, and demonstrates good reliability and validity. A reference interval for the outcome is presented, with the estimated 95% predicted values for the outcome up to five years after the nerve repair. Brain plasticity is a factor sensibility - tactile gnosis - in the adaptive process after a nerve injury, when the mind has to interpret new signal patterns, when objects are touched. For better understanding of the sensory outcome after nerve repair, central nervous factors were examined. Specific cognitive capacities, such as verbal learning and visuo-spatial logic capacity could be identified as being of importance for recovery of tactile gnosis. For patients with temporary or permanent sensory loss, a new principle for artificial sensibility based on sense substitution is presented. The hearing sense substitutes the sense of touch. The resemblance in perceptual experience between sound and touch is bridged by the stereophonic friction sound generated by touching objects, which is then amplified and transmitted to earphones. The delicate capacity of the sense of hearing to discriminate between the complex pattern of frequencies makes it reasonable to assume that hearing is able to take over functions normally devoted to touch. This is demonstrated in the thesis.     

Adolescent Stress Questionnaire: Reliability and validity of the Greek version and its description in a sample of high school (lyceum) students

Adolescence is a crucial phase of human life characterized by enhanced exposure and vulnerability to various stressful stimuli. The Adolescent Stress Questionnaire (ASQ) is a useful measure to evaluate possible sources of stressors affecting the adolescent equilibrium. The present study examines the scientific properties of the Greek version of ASQ to measure perceived stress among 250 Greek adolescents. The confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) results showed a good fit of the original structure of ASQ to the observed data in the Greek sample. A good internal reliability was also confirmed by high Cronbach's alpha values. In line with previous research, girls reported more stress than boys. Overall, the Greek ASQ is a valid and reliable instrument for evaluating adolescent stress.     

eHealth literacy in chronic disease patients: An item response theory analysis of the eHealth literacy scale (eHEALS)

BackgroundChronic disease patients are affected by low computer and health literacy, which negatively affects their ability to benefit from access to online health information.ObjectiveTo estimate reliability and confirm model specifications for eHealth Literacy Scale (eHEALS) scores among chronic disease patients using Classical Test (CTT) and Item Response Theory techniques.MethodsA stratified sample of Black/African American (N = 341) and Caucasian (N = 343) adults with chronic disease completed an online survey including the eHEALS. Item discrimination was explored using bi-variate correlations and Cronbach’s alpha for internal consistency. A categorical confirmatory factor analysis tested a one-factor structure of eHEALS scores. Item characteristic curves, in-fit/outfit statistics, omega coefficient, and item reliability and separation estimates were computed.ResultsA 1-factor structure of eHEALS was confirmed by statistically significant standardized item loadings, acceptable model fit indices (CFI/TLI > 0.90), and 70% variance explained by the model. Item response categories increased with higher theta levels, and there was evidence of acceptable reliability (ω = 0.94; item reliability = 89; item separation = 8.54).ConclusioneHEALS scores are a valid and reliable measure of self-reported eHealth literacy among Internet-using chronic disease patients.Practice implicationsProviders can use eHEALS to help identify patients’ eHealth literacy skills.     

疼痛行为量表用于评估危重症机械通气患者疼痛状况的信效度研究

目的 探讨疼痛行为量表(BPS)对危重症机械通气患者疼痛评估的适用性。方法 随机选取2018年1月至2019年3月在本院进行机械通气治疗的90例危重症患者为研究对象,进行中文版GPS量表的疼痛自我评估。量表的适用性评价包括量表的项目分析、信度和效度评价。结果 项目分析结果显示,高分组与低分组在各项目评分比较,差异均有统计学意义(P0.05)。各项目得分与BPS总分均呈高度相关(P0.05)。总问卷的Chronbach′sα系数为0.902。各条目I-CVI值均大于0.78,S-CVI值为0.92(0.8)。在区分效度的评价方面,患者更换体位时的BPS评分明显高于测量体温时(P0.05)。结论中文版GPS量表信效度良好,在危重症机械通气患者的疼痛评估中具有较好的适用性。     

Accuracy of KinectOne to quantify kinematics of the upper body

Motion analysis systems deliver quantitative information, e.g. on the progress of rehabilitation programs aimed at improving range of motion. Markerless systems are of interest for clinical application because they are low-cost and easy to use. The first generation of the Kinect™ sensor showed promising results in validity assessment compared to an established marker-based system. However, no literature is available on the validity of the new ‘Kinect™ for Xbox one’ (KinectOne) in tracking upper body motion. Consequently, this study was conducted to analyze the accuracy and reliability of the KinectOne in tracking upper body motion.Twenty subjects performed shoulder abduction in frontal and scapula plane, flexion, external rotation and horizontal flexion in two conditions (sitting and standing). Arm and trunk motion were analyzed using the KinectOne and compared to a marker-based system. Comparisons were made using Bland Altman statistics and Coefficient of Multiple Correlation.On average, differences between systems of 3.9 ± 4.0° and 0.1 ± 3.8° were found for arm and trunk motion, respectively. Correlation was higher for the arm than for the trunk motion.Based on the observed bias, the accuracy of the KinectOne was found to be adequate to measure arm motion in a clinical setting. Although trunk motion showed a very low absolute bias between the two systems, the KinectOne was not able to track small changes over time. Before the KinectOne can find clinical application, further research is required analyzing whether validity can be improved using a customized tracking algorithm or other sensor placement, and to analyze test–retest reliability.     

10项流调中心抑郁自评量表在中国中老人群中的信效度

目的:分析10项CES-D问卷在中老年人群中的信效度,以及该量表在中年和老年群体中的信效度差异。方法:使用中国健康与养老追踪调查2011年数据,样本人群年龄45岁以上,共14931人;首先,运用区分度分析量表各条目对不同水平被试的区分能力;其次,分别对整个人群、老年人群和中年人群进行内部一致性检验,并在3个不同因子结构的假定下(单因子结构;二因子结构:积极因子和消极因子;三因子结构:积极因子、消极因子和躯体因子)分别对3个人群进行验证性因子分析,并利用多组验证性因子分析检验两因子结构模型在中年人群和老年人群中的恒等性。结果:区分度分析发现,在总分百分位数27%的最高组和最低组之间各项目得分具有显著的差异,在整个人群中的科隆巴赫系数为0.815,两因子结构对整个样本人群拟合较好;在中年人群和老年人群中,内部一致性系数分别为0.814、0.813;两因子结构模型在4个嵌套模型的对比检验中显示,△CFI、△RMSEA和△SRMR的差异均满足横等性最低临界值要求。结论:10项CES-D量表具有较高的信效度,两因子结构模型在中年人群和老年人群具有恒等性,量表具有良好的区分效度,能有效地测量中老年人群的抑郁水平。     

Validity of the Ages and Stages Questionnaires in Korean Compared to Bayley Scales of Infant Development-II for Screening Preterm Infants at Corrected Age of 18-24 Months for Neurodevelopmental Delay

This study aimed to evaluate the validity of the ages and stages questionnaire in Korean (ASQ 1st edition, Korean Questionnaires, Seoul Community Rehabilitation Center, 2000) for premature infants. The study population consisted of 90 premature infants born between January 1, 2005, and December 31, 2011, who were tested using the ASQ (Korean) and Bayley Scales of Infant Development (BSID) (II) at a corrected age of 18-24 months. The validity of the ASQ (Korean) using cut-off values set at < -2 SD was examined by comparing it to the BSID (II) components, namely, the mental developmental index (MDI) or psychomotor developmental index (PDI), which were both set at < 85. The calculation of the sensitivities, specificities, positive predictive values, and negative predictive values of the ASQ (Korean) components revealed that they detected infants with neurodevelopmental delay with low sensitivity and positive predictive values, however, the communication domain showed moderate correlations with MDI. The failure in more than one domain of the ASQ (Korean) was significantly correlated with the failure in MDI. The ASQ (Korean) showed low validity for screening neurodevelopmentally delayed premature infants.

Graphical Abstract

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Validation of a Korean Version of the Tinnitus Handicap Questionnaire

Objectives

The goal of the present study was to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Korean version of the tinnitus handicap questionnaire (THQ-K).

Methods

A total of 60 patients were included in this study. Patients responded to the THQ-K, the tinnitus handicap inventory (THI), Beck''s depression index (BDI), and the visual analogue scale (VAS) for loudness and pitch, loudness match, and minimum masking level (MML) test were performed.

Results

Internal consistency of the THQ-K was examined using Cronbach coefficient alpha. Cronbach alpha was 0.96. The THQ-K showed a significant correlation with THI, BDI, VAS for distress, and VAS for loudness, but no significant correlation with psychoacoustic measurement of tinnitus, such as loudness match, pitch match, and MML.

Conclusion

The THQ-K is a reliable and valid test for evaluating the degree of handicap due to tinnitus for both research and clinical use.