Reproducible neurophysiological testing paradigms are critical to multi-center studies of neuropathy associated with impaired glucose regulation (IGR), yet the best methodologies and endpoints remain to be established. This study evaluates the reproducibility of neurophysiologic tests within a multi-center research setting. Twenty-three participants with neuropathy and IGR were studied. Reproducibility of QSART and QST (using the CASE IV system) were determined in a subset of patients at two sessions and calculated from intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). QST (cold detection threshold ICC 0.80, vibration detection threshold ICC 0.75) was more reproducible than QSART (ICC foot 0.52). Performing multiple tests in one setting did not improve reproducibility of QST. QST reproducibility in IGR patients is similar to other patient groups studied. QSART reproducibility was significantly lower than QST. In this group of patients, the reproducibility of QSART was unacceptable for a secondary endpoint measure in clinical research trials.
The objectives of this study were to determine the rate of acute blunt cervical spine injury at an academic urban level 1 trauma center and to evaluate the utilization of cervical spine imaging based on the established American College of Radiology (ACR) Appropriateness Criteria®. We retrospectively reviewed all radiography and CT imaging of the cervical spine performed over a year period in adult patients presenting with acute blunt cervical spine trauma. Exclusion criteria were children ≤17 years, non-acute trauma of ≥72 h, and penetrating trauma. Any fracture, dislocation, or ligamentous instability demonstrated by diagnostic imaging and requiring stabilization or specialized follow-up was defined as clinically significant cervical spine injury. A total of 1,325 cervical spine studies were reviewed in 1,245 patients; 32.7% (433/1,325) were cervical spine radiographs and 67.3% (892/1,325) were CT examinations. Approximately 1.5% (19/1,245) of the patients demonstrated clinically significant acute cervical spine injury. There were 6.4% (80/1,245) patients who received both cervical spine radiographs and CT as imaging evaluation. Based on the ACR Appropriateness Criteria®, all of the cervical spine radiographs performed (433) were determined to be "inappropriate" imaging in the setting of acute cervical spine injury.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.