(C) 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Semin Arthritis Rheum 41:698-711″
“Short-form patient-reported outcome measures are popular because they minimize patient burden. We assessed the efficiency of static short forms and computer adaptive

testing (CAT) using data from the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) project.

We evaluated the 28-item PROMIS depressive symptoms bank. We used post hoc simulations based on the PROMIS calibration sample to compare several short-form selection strategies and the PROMIS CAT to the total item bank score.

Compared with full-bank scores, all short forms and CAT produced highly correlated scores, but CAT outperformed each static short form in almost all criteria. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/Rapamycin.html However, short-form selection strategies performed only marginally worse than CAT. The performance gap observed in static forms was reduced by using a two-stage branching test format.

Using several polytomous items in a calibrated unidimensional bank to measure depressive symptoms yielded a CAT that provided marginally superior efficiency compared to static short forms. The efficiency of a two-stage semi-adaptive testing strategy was so close to CAT that it warrants

further consideration and study.”
“To determine the reliability of pedicle screws placed in children younger than Caspase activity 7 years of age, and to evaluate the effect of pedicle screw insertion on further growth of

the vertebra and spinal canal.

A retrospective study of 35 consecutive patients through Jan 2003-Dec 2010 for congenital scoliosis in < 7 years children was performed at one spine center. MX69 nmr Patients undergoing pedicle screw instrumentation of at least two levels, which had been followed-up for at least 24 months were included. Measurements were performed in instrumented and adjacent non-instrumented levels. The effect of pedicle screw insertion on further growth was evaluated.

The average age at surgery was 4.4 year (53 months, range, 23-84 months). 190 segments in 35 patients met the inclusion criteria. 77 segments had no screws and 113 had at least one screw. There was a significant difference between the pre-operative and final follow-up values of the measurement of spinal canal and vertebral body parameters (P < 0.001). No significant difference existed between growth rates of vertebral bodies and the sagittal diameters of spinal canal with or without screws. The growth rates of vertebral bodies in lumbar spine were higher than in thoracic spine in both instrumented and adjacent groups.

Pedicle screw instrumentation does not cause a retardation effect on the development of vertebral bodies and the spinal canal in children at an early age. It is a safe and reliable procedure to achieve a stable fixation.