Validation and reliability of a Japanese version of the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index: A cross-sectional study

BackgroundThe Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI) is a simple disease specific questionnaire that is used to evaluate the impact of shoulder disorders. The purpose of this study was to translate the SPADI into Japanese (SPADI-Jp) and evaluate its reliability and validity in Japanese patients with shoulder disorders.MethodsCross-cultural adaptation of the SPADI was performed according to international guidelines. A total of 100 patients with shoulder disorders participated in this study. Each participant was asked to finish the SPADI-Jp, Disability of Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH), and the Short-Form 36 (SF-36) at the initial visit. Thirty-four patients repeated the SPADI-Jp to assess the test–retest reliability. The test–retest reliability was quantified using the interclass correlation coefficient (ICC), while Cronbach's alpha was calculated to assess the internal consistency. The construct validity was assessed using Spearman's rank correlation coefficients.ResultsInternal consistency in the SPADI-Jp was very high (0.969), as measured by the Cronbach's alpha. The ICC of the SPADI-Jp was 0.930. There was a strong, positive correlation between the DASH and the SPADI-Jp (r = 0.837, p < 0.001). The SPADI-Jp was significantly correlated with most of the SF-36 subscales. The correlations of the SPADI-Jp with physical subscales of the SF-36 were stronger than those with the other subscales.ConclusionsWe demonstrated that the SPADI-Jp is a reliable and valid self-assessment tool. Because cross-cultural adaptation, validation, and reliability of the disease-specific questionnaire for shoulder pain and disability have not been evaluated in Japan, the SPADI-Jp can be useful for evaluating such patients in the Japanese population.     

ASO Author Reflections: Perspectives of Laparoscopic Hepatectomy with Venous Tumor Thrombectomy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Annals of Surgical Oncology -     

ASO Author Reflections: Laparoscopic Arantius’ Approach as Shortcut Access for Major Hepatic Veins

Annals of Surgical Oncology -     

The association between renal elasticity evaluated by Real-time tissue elastography and renal fibrosis

Clinical and Experimental Nephrology - The progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD) depends on the extent of fibrosis in the kidneys; however, a renal biopsy is necessary to evaluate the...     

Results of definitive radiotherapy with concurrent chemotherapy for maxillary sinus carcinomas with neck lymph node metastasis

The purpose of this study was to describe the results of definitive radiotherapy (RT) with concurrent chemotherapy for maxillary sinus carcinomas (MSCs) with neck lymph node metastasis to clarify its limitation. Local control (LC), progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) rates were calculated using the Kaplan–Meier method and were compared between subgroups using the log rank test. Toxicity was classified using common terminology criteria of adverse events version 5.0. Eighteen patients with inoperable MSC with neck lymph node metastasis including 12 men and 6 women with a median age of 67 years were analyzed. The histologic diagnoses were as follows: 16 patients had squamous cell carcinomas and 2 had other histology. Four patients had stage T3 MSC, 6 had T4a and 8 had T4b. Among 18 patients, 7 received concurrent systemic chemotherapy and 11 received selective arterial chemo-infusion. The median follow-up period was 17 months. The 2-year LC, PFS and OS rates for the entire cohort were 34, 31 and 46%, respectively. No significant differences were observed for LC, PFS and OS rates between systemic chemotherapy and selective arterial chemo-infusion cohorts. Grade 3 or higher acute toxicity, including both non-hematological and hematological, was observed in nine patients (50%), while no grade 3 or higher late toxicity was observed. In conclusion, we described the results of definitive RT for MSCs with neck lymph node metastasis. Local recurrence of primary tumor was a frequent pattern of failure and it should be addressed in future study.     

31P and23Na nuclear magnetic resonance study on forebrain ischemia in rats with shift reagent Dy(TTHA)

³¹P and ²³Na nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy was employed to study the dynamic changes in intracellular high-energy phosphates and sodium during 15min of forebrain ischemia and recirculation in in vivo rat brain. In the presence of the shift reagent Dysprosium triethylenetetramine-N,N,N,N,N,N-hexaacetic and [Dy(TTHA)], the sodium peak separated into two peaks, unshifted and shifted. During 15min of ischemia, the unshifted sodium peak decreased and the shifted sodium peak increased. With recirculation, the unshifted and the shifted sodium peaks returned to the preischemia level within 10min, but the shifted one increased during 30–60min. Intracellular high-energy phosphates and intracellular pH (pHi) decreased during 15min of ischemia and returned to the preischemia levels within 20min of recirculation. We conclude that the decrease in unshifted sodium peak during ischemia is due to the decrease in subarachnoid sodium and the cellular influx of interstitial sodium would be minimum. The increase in shifted sodium peak during ischemia is considered to be due to the dilatation of cerebral blood vessels and the increase in interstitial sodium which was transported from subarachnoid space.(Kurata M: ³¹P and ²³Na nuclear magnetic resonance study on forebrain ischemia in rats with shift reagent Dy(TTHA). J Anesth 7: 325–333, 1993)     

Use of the sandwich method with an ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene prosthesis and Marlex mesh in sternal reconstruction: Report of a case

A 52-year-old Japanese man with a slow-growing chondroma originating from the sternal bone was referred to our hospital. A subtotal resection of the sternum was performed, hereafter termed the sandwich method, and an originally designed prosthesis made from ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene and Marlex mesh was used for reconstruction. The postoperative course was uneventful without any symptoms due to paradoxical movement of the chest or regional abscess, and no disturbance in the movement of the upper limbs, such as a surgical sequelae, was observed.