title: [A scale for measuring symptoms related to degenerative diseases of the cervical spine. A reference in determining indications and evaluating surgical outcome].
abstract: A scale for measuring symptoms related to degenerative diseases of the cervical spine is presented. Twenty typical symptoms are listed, e. g., neck pain, dysesthesia, and reduced mobility. Responses are assessed via a 6-point scaling ("did not have symptom" - "had symptom and suffered very strongly".) The cervical spine scale was tested in three samples: patients having undergone cervical spine surgery (n = 70), patients with other orthopedic diagnoses (n = 104), and healthy students (n = 100). The single items of the scale were aggregated into four scores: total number of symptoms, degree of overall symptom distress, functional disability, and pain/psychological distress. Statistical analyses proved the high reliability (Cronbach's alpha = 0.85 to 0.95) and validity (content, convergent, discriminant) of all scores. The scale differs clearly between cervical spine patients, other orthopedic patients and healthy individuals, and between cervical spine patients with different subjective operative outcomes. For applied clinical purposes the cervical spine scale can be included in a quality of life profile (QL-profile); this allows for a readily understandable graphic depiction of individual patients' QL-status.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Theoretische Chirurgie, Klinikum der Philipps-Universität Marburg.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Koller
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kienapfel
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hinder
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sabau
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wingert
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pfeiffer
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Griss
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lorenz
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000145:classification; D000328:Adult; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011379:Prognosis; D011788:Quality of Life; D011859:Radiography; D013128:Spinal Osteophytosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
vernacular_title: Eine Skala zur Messung von Beschwerden bei degenerativen Veränderungen der Halswirbelsäule (HWS). Hilfe zur Indikationsstellung und zur Evaluation des Operationserfolgs.