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Thomas Ewert

Publications and source records attributed to Thomas Ewert.

14 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

What predicts outcome in non-operative treatments of chronic low back pain? A systematic review.

Systematic reviews have shown that as non-operative treatments exercise, behavioural and multimodal treatment programs are effective for chronic low back pain. There is, however, a lack of knowledge concerning the association between changes in treatment process variables and changes in outcome for the three treatment forms. The objective of this systematic review was to evaluate which changes in treatment process variables predict outcome of exercise, behavioural and multimodal treatment of chronic low back pain. Medline, Embase and PsychInfo were systematically searched. A descriptive analysis was used to summarize the results regarding the outcomes pain, disability and return to work (RTW). 13 studies were identified. The results showed that functional coping mechanisms and pain reduction were associated with a decrease in disability and increase in RTW, and physical performance factors were not. Related to pain reduction decreases in disability, functional coping mechanisms as well as physical performance factors were associated. Strong conclusions cannot be drawn from this review, because of the heterogeneity and the limited number of studies. The results of this review raise the question if changes in behavioural variables and reductions of disability which facilitate an improvement in function, may be more important than physical performance factors for successful treatment of chronic low back pain. This is relevant for the refinement of future treatment programs.

Chronic Disease↗
PubMed2006

Segmental stabilizing exercises and low back pain. What is the evidence? A systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

STUDY DESIGN: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effectiveness of segmental stabilizing exercises for acute, subacute and chronic low back pain with regard to pain, recurrence of pain, disability and return to work. METHODS: MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, PEDro and article reference lists were searched from 1988 onward. Randomized controlled trials with segmental stabilizing exercises for adult low back pain patients were included. Four comparisons were foreseen: (1) effectiveness of segmental stabilizing exercises versus treatment by general practitioner (GP); (2) effectiveness of segmental stabilizing exercises versus other physiotherapy treatment; (3) effectiveness of segmental stabilizing exercises combined with other physiotherapy treatment versus treatment by GP and (4) effectiveness of segmental stabilizing exercises combined with other physiotherapy treatment versus other physiotherapy treatment. RESULTS: Seven trials were included. For acute low back pain, segmental stabilizing exercises are equally effective in reducing short-term disability and pain and more effective in reducing long-term recurrence of low back pain than treatment by GP. For chronic low back pain, segmental stabilizing exercises are, in the short and long-term, more effective than GP treatment and may be as effective as other physiotherapy treatments in reducing disability and pain. There is limited evidence that segmental stabilizing exercises additional to other physiotherapy treatment are equally effective for pain and more effective concerning disability than other physiotherapy treatments alone. There is no evidence concerning subacute low back pain. CONCLUSION: For low back pain, segmental stabilizing exercises are more effective than treatment by GP but they are not more effective than other physiotherapy interventions.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed2006

Measuring the outcome of health resort programs.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the metric properties and practicability of valid, internationally available outcome instruments in the special setting of health resort programs. METHODS: A cohort study in a convenience sample of patients with low back pain, upper back pain, conditions of the lower extremities, and conditions of the upper extremities was conducted. Their functioning and health were assessed before and after a health resort program by the disease-specific North American Spine Society (NASS) instruments Lumbar NASS and Cervical NASS; WOMAC Osteoarthritis Index; Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder and Hand Questionnaire; and the general instrument, Medical Outcome Study Short Form-36 (SF-36). RESULTS: Completeness on the scale level ranged between 1% and 10%. Criterion validity of condition-specific instruments was confirmed by stronger associations of the pain and function scales to the Physical Health component of the SF-36 (r = -0.59 to -0.79, p < 0.001 for all scales) than to the Mental Health component (r = -0.11, NS, to r = -0.42, p < 0.001). Reliability (Cronbach's alpha coefficient) was higher than 0.8 for all scales of condition-specific instruments and for 6 of 8 SF-36 scales. Floor and ceiling effects ranged between 0% and 7%. The condition-specific instruments demonstrated a good responsiveness with an effect size ranging between 0.28 and 0.55 and with a standardized response mean between 0.32 and 0.94. The responsiveness of most SF-36 scales was similar, but the Physical Function scale showed a lower responsiveness than the condition-specific scales. CONCLUSION: The evaluated instruments can be recommended for use in clinical trials that assess the outcome of health resort programs.

Aged↗
PubMed2005

The factor subdimensions of the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) help to specify hip and knee osteoarthritis. a prospective evaluation and validation study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether it is possible to specify different score patterns for hip and knee osteoarthritis (OA), and to identify the degree of responsiveness and the validity of the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) factors, which are alternative health dimensions obtained by factor analysis of the WOMAC items. METHODS: WOMAC scales and WOMAC factors were compared in a prospective setting examining patients with hip and knee OA before and after rehabilitative inpatient intervention (n = 317). In a partial sample (n = 103), the validity of the WOMAC factors was determined by a global rating of their activities. RESULTS: The WOMAC factor "ascending/descending" was significantly different for hip and knee OA in the health state before therapy (score in hip 5.09, in knee 6.59; p < 0.001); this was also true of the effect size after therapy (hip 0.39, knee 0.65; p = 0.012). The WOMAC scales did not differ for the 2 conditions. The WOMAC factor "ascending/descending" was the most responsive dimension in knee OA (effect size 0.65), but in hip OA the WOMAC pain scale was most responsive (effect size 0.55). Most of the WOMAC factors correlated moderately (r = 0.52-0.69) with the patient's self-rating on the validation questionnaire. CONCLUSION: The WOMAC factors are valid measures. Analyzing the WOMAC by the WOMAC factors facilitates and improves the differential relevance and accuracy of the WOMAC for specific conditions such as hip and knee OA.

Aged↗
PubMed2004

Development of ICF Core Sets for patients with chronic conditions.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the ICF Core Sets project is the development of internationally agreed Brief ICF Core Sets and Comprehensive ICF Core Sets. METHODS: The methods to develop both ICF Core Sets, the Comprehensive ICF Core Set and the Brief ICF Core Set, involved a formal decision-making and consensus process integrating evidence gathered from preliminary studies and expert opinion. RESULTS: The results regarding the development of the ICF Core Sets for 12 health conditions (chronic widespread pain, low back pain, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus, obesity, obstructive pulmonary diseases, breast cancer, depression, and stroke) are presented in this supplement. CONCLUSION: Both, the Brief ICF Core Sets and the Comprehensive ICF Core Sets are preliminary and need to be tested in the coming years based on a standardized protocol in close cooperation with the ICF research branch of the WHO FIC CC (DIMDI) in Munich and the CAS team at WHO. The final goals are valid and globally agreed tools to be used in clinical practice, research and health statistics.

Chronic Disease↗
PubMed2004

Identification of the most common patient problems in patients with chronic conditions using the ICF checklist.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the most common patient problems in patients with 12 different chronic conditions using the ICF checklist. METHODS: A multi-centre, cross-sectional study with convenient samples of patients who had received a clinical diagnosis of any of 12 different chronic conditions undergoing inpatient or outpatient rehabilitation. To describe the population, age, gender, and the SF-36 were recorded. Data for 917 patients from 33 rehabilitation centres were analysed. RESULTS: Most of the ICF-checklist categories were common to at least 1 condition. Pain was the sole category of 125 ICF-checklist categories that was common to all chronic conditions. Patients with low back pain, rheumatoid arthritis, and diabetes mellitus did not often experience the problems listed in the ICF-checklist. CONCLUSION: The main finding, that in most conditions categories from each component were common, underscores the need to address all components when assessing functioning and health in patients with chronic conditions.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed2004

Identifying the concepts contained in outcome measures of clinical trials on stroke using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health as a reference.

OBJECTIVES: To systematically identify and quantify the concepts contained in outcome measures in stroke trials using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) as a reference. METHODS: Randomized controlled trials between 1992 and 2001 were located in MEDLINE and selected according to predefined criteria. Outcome measures were extracted and concepts contained in the outcome measures were linked to the ICF. RESULTS: A random sample of 160 (50%) of 320 eligible studies was included. A total of 148 standardized health status measures were identified. Of 11,283 extracted concepts, 91% could be linked to the ICF. The most used ICF categories for each component were d450 walking (70%) for activities and participation, b525 defecation functions (62%) for body functions, and e399 support and relationships, unspecified (30%) for environmental factors. CONCLUSION: The ICF provides a useful reference to identify and quantify the concepts contained in outcome measures used in stroke trials. Outcome measurement in stroke refers to an enormous variety of concepts; for comparability of research findings agreement on what should be measured is needed.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed2004

ICF Core Sets for osteoarthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To report on the results of the consensus process integrating evidence from preliminary studies to develop the first version of a Comprehensive ICF Core Set and a Brief ICF Core Set for osteoarthritis. METHODS: A formal decision-making and consensus process integrating evidence gathered from preliminary studies was followed. Preliminary studies included a Delphi exercise, a systematic review, and an empirical data collection. After training in the ICF and based on these preliminary studies relevant ICF categories were identified in a formal consensus process by international experts from different backgrounds. RESULTS: The preliminary studies identified a set of 388 ICF categories at the second, third, and fourth ICF levels with 144 categories on body functions, 49 on body structures; 165 on activities and participation, and 43 on environmental factors. Seventeen experts from 7 different countries attended the consensus conference on osteoarthritis. Altogether 55 second-level categories were included in the Comprehensive ICF Core Set with 13 categories from the component body functions, 6 from body structures, 19 from activities and participation, and 17 from environmental factors. The Brief ICF Core Set included a total of 13 second-level categories (3 on body functions, 3 on body structures, 3 on activities and participation, and 4 on environmental factors). CONCLUSION: A formal consensus process integrating evidence and expert opinion based on the ICF framework and classification led to the definition of ICF Core Sets for osteoarthritis. Both the Comprehensive ICF Core Set and the Brief ICF Core Set were defined.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed2002

Linking health-status measurements to the international classification of functioning, disability and health.

With the approval of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health by the World Health Assembly in May 2001, the concurrent use of both health-status measures and the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health is expected. It is therefore important to understand the relationship between these two concepts. The objective of this paper is to provide a systematic and standardized approach when linking health-status measures to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. The specific aims are to develop rules, to test their reliability and to illustrate these rules with examples. Ten linking rules and an example of their use are presented in this paper. The percentage agreement between two health professionals for 8 health-status instruments tested is also presented. A high level of agreement between the health professionals reflects that the linking rules established in this study allow the sound linking of items from health-status measures to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Value and application of the ICF in rehabilitation medicine.

Rehabilitation medicine may be defined as the multi- and interdisciplinary management of a person's functioning and health. Rehabilitation medicine defines itself with respect to concepts of functioning, disability and health. Assessment and intervention management rely on this concept. The current framework of disability--the WHO International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF)--providing a coherent view of health from a biological, individual and social perspective. However, ICF success will depend on its compatibility with measures used in rehabilitation and on the improvement of its practicability. Thus, it is expected to see the development of the ICF based on versions of currently used instruments and on the development of ICF Core Sets. The new language ICF is an exciting landmark event for rehabilitation. It may lead to a stronger position of rehabilitation within the medical community, change multi-professional communication and improve communication between patients and rehabilitation professionals.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMedDate not supplied

ICF Core Sets development for the acute hospital and early post-acute rehabilitation facilities.

The goal of this paper is to report on the background and the methods used in the ICF Core Set development for patients in the acute hospital and early post-acute rehabilitation facilities. ICF Core Sets are sets of categories out of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) which can serve as minimal standards for the assessment, communication and reporting of functioning and health for clinical studies, clinical encounters and multi-professional comprehensive assessment and management. The ICF Core Sets were developed in a formal decision-making and consensus process, integrating evidence gathered from preliminary studies and expert opinion. The Acute ICF Core Sets for patients with neurological, musculoskeletal and cardiopulmonary conditions are intended for use by physicians, nurses, therapists and other health professionals working in the acute hospital on medical, surgical or other units not specialised in rehabilitation. The Post-acute ICF Core Sets for geriatric patients and patients with neurological, musculoskeletal or cardiopulmonary conditions are intended for use by physicians, nurses, therapists and other health professionals involved in early post-acute rehabilitation. The Acute and Post-acute ICF Core Sets are first versions and need to be tested and validated in the patient and professional perspective and in different countries, regions, health care and provider settings.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMedDate not supplied

ICF Core Set for patients with neurological conditions in the acute hospital.

PURPOSE: The aim of this consensus process was to decide on a first version of the ICF Core Set for patients with neurological conditions in the acute hospital. METHODS: The ICF Core Set development involved a formal decision-making and consensus process, integrating evidence gathered from preliminary studies including focus groups of health professionals, a systematic review of the literature and empiric data collection from patients. RESULTS: Twenty-one experts selected a total of 85 second-level categories. The largest number of categories was selected from the ICF component Body Functions (41 categories or 48%). Five (6%) of the categories were selected from the component Body Structures, 18 (21%) from Activities and Participation and 21 (25%) from Environmental Factors. CONCLUSIONS: The Acute ICF Core Set for patients with neurological conditions provides all professionals with a clinical framework to comprehensively assess patients in the acute hospital. This first ICF Core Set will be further tested through empiric studies in German-speaking countries and internationally.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMedDate not supplied

ICF Core Set for patients with neurological conditions in early post-acute rehabilitation facilities.

PURPOSE: The aim of this consensus process was to decide on a first version of the ICF Core Set for neurological patients in early post-acute rehabilitation facilities. METHODS: The ICF Core Set development involved a formal decision-making and consensus process, integrating evidence gathered from preliminary studies including focus groups of health professionals, a systematic review of the literature and empiric data collection from patients. RESULTS: Seventeen experts selected a total of 116 second-level categories. The largest number of categories was selected from the ICF component Body Functions (54 categories or 47%). Eleven (9%) of the categories were selected from the component Body Structures, 34 (29%) were of the categories from the component Activities and Participation, and 17 (15%) from the component Environmental Factors. CONCLUSION: The Post-acute ICF Core Set for neurological patients is a clinical framework to comprehensively assess patients in early post-acute rehabilitation facilities, particularly in an interdisciplinary setting. This first ICF Core Set will be further tested through empiric studies in German-speaking countries and internationally.

Activities of Daily Living↗