Acquired brain injury and spinal cord injury are leading causes of severe motor disabilities impacting a person's autonomy and social life. Enhancing neurological recovery driven by neurogenesis and ...neuronal plasticity could represent future solutions; however, at present, recovery of activities employing assistive technologies integrating artificial intelligence is worthy of examining. MAIA (Multifunctional, adaptive, and interactive AI system for Acting in multiple contexts) is a human-centered AI aiming to allow end-users to control assistive devices naturally and efficiently by using continuous bidirectional exchanges among multiple sensorimotor information.
Aimed at exploring the acceptability of MAIA, semi-structured interviews (both individual interviews and focus groups) are used to prompt possible end-users (both patients and caregivers) to express their opinions about expected functionalities, outfits, and the services that MAIA should embed, once developed, to fit end-users needs.
End-user indications are expected to interest MAIA technical, health-related, and setting components. Moreover, psycho-social issues are expected to align with the technology acceptance model. In particular, they are likely to involve intrinsic motivational and extrinsic social aspects, aspects concerning the usefulness of the MAIA system, and the related ease to use. At last, we expect individual factors to impact MAIA: gender, fragility levels, psychological aspects involved in the mental representation of body image, personal endurance, and tolerance toward AT-related burden might be the aspects end-users rise in evaluating the MAIA project.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
To assess the internal construct validity, including local independence, unidimensionality, monotonicity, and invariance, reliability, and targeting of the Forgotten Joint Score within the Rasch ...Measurement Theory framework.
Cross-sectional study.
A total of 111 patients with total hip arthroplasty at least 3 months after surgery.
The Forgotten Joint Score was submitted to each subject during their rehabilitative treatment in an Italian centre and then to Rasch analysis.
The base Rasch analysis showed a satisfactory fit to the model with strict unidimensionality and no differential item functioning. However, monotonicity (11 out of 12 items showed disordered thresholds) and local independence were violated. After rescoring 10 items and creating 5 subtests to account for local dependence, the scale satisfied all the other Rasch model requirements (i.e. invariance, local independence, monotonicity, unidimensionality, and multi-group invariance), with reliability indexes (> 0.850) for measurement at the individual level and proper targeting. A raw-score-to-measure conversion table was provided.
After structural (i.e. collapsing items categories) and non-structural (i.e. creating subtests) strategies, the Forgotten Joint Score satisfied the measurement requirements of the Rasch model, and it can be used in patients with total hip arthroplasty in clinical and research settings.
The objective of this study was to perform a meta-analysis of the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) of the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) questionnaire and its ...shortened version (ie, the QuickDASH).
MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Scopus were searched up to July 2022. Studies on people with upper limb musculoskeletal disorders that calculated the MCID by anchor-based methods were included. Descriptive and quantitative synthesis was used for the MCID and the minimal detectable change with 90% confidence (MDC90). Fixed-effects models and random-effect models were used for the meta-analysis. I2 statistics was computed to assess heterogeneity. The methodological quality of studies was assessed with the Consensus-Based Standards for the Selection of Health Measurement Instruments checklist for measurement error and an adaptation of the checklist for the studies on MCID proposed by Bohannon and Glenney.
Twelve studies (1677 patients) were included, producing 17 MCID estimates ranging from 8.3 to 18.0 DASH points and 8.0 to 18.1 QuickDASH points. The pooled MCIDs were 11.00 DASH points (95% CI = 8.59-13.41; I2 = 0%) and 11.97 QuickDASH points (95% CI = 9.60-14.33; I2 = 0%). The pooled MDC90s were 9.04 DASH points (95% CI = 6.46-11.62; I2 = 0%) and 9.03 QuickDASH points (95% CI = 6.36-11.71; I2 = 18%). Great methodological heterogeneity in the calculation of the MCID was identified among the primary studies.
Reasonable MCID ranges of 12 to 14 DASH points and 12 to 15 QuickDASH points were established. The lower boundaries represent the first available measure above the pooled MDC90, and the upper limits represent the upper 95% CI of the pooled MCID.
Reasonable ranges for the MCID of 12 to 14 DASH points and 12 to 15 QuickDASH points were proposed. The lower boundaries represent the first available measure above the pooled MDC90, and the upper limits represent the upper 95% CI of the pooled MCID. Information regarding the interpretability of the 2 questionnaires was derived from very different methodologies, making it difficult to identify reliable thresholds. Now clinicians and researchers can rely on more credible data. The proposed MCIDs should be used to assess people with musculoskeletal disorders. Heterogeneity was found related particularly to the anchor levels used in the primary studies. To promote comparability of MCID values, shared rules defining the most appropriate types of anchoring will be needed in the near future.
•Connectivity in the visuospatial perceptual network (VPN) is impaired in Neglect.•Pre-stimulus alpha oscillatory activity is asymmetric and impaired in Neglect.•Post-stimulus N100 is impaired and ...delayed for right presented stimuli in Neglect.•Generative models show pre-and post-stimulus EEG relations in the VPN.•The model predicts visuospatial deficits and behavioral asymmetries in Neglect.
Stroke patients with left Hemispatial Neglect (LHN) show deficits in perceiving left contralesional stimuli with biased visuospatial perception towards the right hemifield. However, very little is known about the functional organization of the visuospatial perceptual neural network and how this can account for the profound reorganization of space representation in LHN.
In the present work, we aimed at (1) identifying EEG measures that discriminate LHN patients against controls and (2) devise a causative neurophysiological model between the discriminative EEG measures. To these aims, EEG was recorded during exposure to lateralized visual stimuli which allowed for pre-and post-stimulus activity investigation across three groups: LHN patients, lesioned controls, and healthy individuals. Moreover, all participants performed a standard behavioral test assessing the perceptual asymmetry index in detecting lateralized stimuli. The between-groups discriminative EEG patterns were entered into a Structural Equation Model for the identification of causative hierarchical associations (i.e., pathways) between EEG measures and the perceptual asymmetry index.
The model identified two pathways. A first pathway showed that the combined contribution of pre-stimulus frontoparietal connectivity and individual-alpha-frequency predicts post-stimulus processing, as measured by visual-evoked N100, which, in turn, predicts the perceptual asymmetry index. A second pathway directly links the inter-hemispheric distribution of alpha-amplitude with the perceptual asymmetry index. The two pathways can collectively explain 83.1% of the variance in the perceptual asymmetry index.
Using causative modeling, the present study identified how psychophysiological correlates of visuospatial perception are organized and predict the degree of behavioral asymmetry in LHN patients and controls.
Accurate outcome detection in neuro-rehabilitative settings is crucial for appropriate long-term rehabilitative decisions in patients with disorders of consciousness (DoC). EEG measures derived from ...high-density EEG can provide helpful information regarding diagnosis and recovery in DoC patients. However, the accuracy rate of EEG biomarkers to predict the clinical outcome in DoC patients is largely unknown. This study investigated the accuracy of psychophysiological biomarkers based on clinical EEG in predicting clinical outcomes in DoC patients. To this aim, we extracted a set of EEG biomarkers in 33 DoC patients with traumatic and nontraumatic etiologies and estimated their accuracy to discriminate patients’ etiologies and predict clinical outcomes 6 months after the injury. Machine learning reached an accuracy of 83.3% (sensitivity = 92.3%, specificity = 60%) with EEG-based functional connectivity predicting clinical outcome in nontraumatic patients. Furthermore, the combination of functional connectivity and dominant frequency in EEG activity best predicted clinical outcomes in traumatic patients with an accuracy of 80% (sensitivity = 85.7%, specificity = 71.4%). These results highlight the importance of functional connectivity in predicting recovery in DoC patients. Moreover, this study shows the high translational value of EEG biomarkers both in terms of feasibility and accuracy for the assessment of DoC.
Abstract La Porta F, Caselli S, Susassi S, Cavallini P, Tennant A, Franceschini M. Is the Berg Balance Scale an internally valid and reliable measure of balance across different etiologies in ...neurorehabilitation? A revisited Rasch analysis study. Objectives To assess, within the context of Rasch analysis, (1) the internal validity and reliability of the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) in a sample of rehabilitation patients with varied balance abilities; and (2) the comparability of the BBS measures across different neurologic diseases. Design Observational prospective study. Setting Rehabilitation ward of an Italian district hospital. Participants Consecutively admitted inpatients and outpatients (N=217); for 85 participants, data were collected both on admission and discharge, giving a total sample of 302 observations. Intervention Not applicable. Main Outcome Measure BBS. Results Most of the BBS items had to be rescored, and 2 items (static sitting and standing balance) had to be deleted, to attain adequate internal construct validity (χ224 =35.68; P =.059). The reliability of the Rasch-modified BBS (BBS-12) (total score, 0–35) was high (.957), indicating precision of measurement at the individual level. The analysis of differential item functioning (DIF) showed invariance of the item calibrations across patients' sex, age, and etiology. After adjusting for the possible effect of repeated measurements on person estimates, the analysis of DIF by timing of assessment confirmed the stability of the item hierarchy across time. A practical ruler was provided to convert item raw scores into Rasch estimates of balance ability. Conclusions This study supports the internal validity and reliability of the BBS-12 as a measurement tool independent of the etiology of the neurologic disease causing the balance impairment. In view of some sample-related issues and that not all possible etiologies encountered in the neurorehabilitation settings were tested, a larger multicenter study is warranted to confirm these findings.
Abstract Objectives (1) To appraise, by the means of Rasch analysis, the internal validity and reliability of the Coma Recovery Scale-Revised (CRS-R) in a sample of patients with disorder of ...consciousness (DOC); and (2) to provide information about the comparability of CRS-R scores across persons with DOC across different settings and groups, including different etiologies. Design Multicenter observational prospective study. Setting Two rehabilitation wards, 1 intermediate care facility, and 2 nursing homes in Italy. Participants Consecutively admitted patients (N=129) for which assessments at 2 different time points were available, giving a total sample of 258 observations. Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measure CRS-R. Results After controlling for any possible dependency between persons’ measures collected at different time points, and for uniform differential item functioning by etiology showed by the visual subscale, Rasch analysis demonstrated adequate satisfaction of all the model’s requirements, including adequate ordering of scoring categories, unidimensionality, local independence, invariance (χ221 =27.798, P =.146), and absence of differential item functioning across patients’ sex, age, time, and setting. The reliability (person separation index=.896) was adequate for individual person measurement. We devised a practical raw score to measure conversion tables based on the CRS-R calibrations. Conclusions The CRS-R is a psychometrically sound and robust measurement tool. The linear measures of ability derived from the CRS-R total scores do satisfy all the principles of scientific measurement and are sufficiently reliable for high stakes assessments, such as the diagnosis of the level of consciousness in individual patients. Future studies are needed to directly explore the capabilities of the CRS-R measures to reduce the risk of vegetative state misdiagnosis.
La presente recomendación busca brindar un marco de seguridad para la prescripción de actividad física en niños, niñas y adolescentes con diabetes mellitus tipo 1 (DM1), considerando la evaluación de ...las situaciones que puedan presentarse antes, durante y después de su práctica. Incluye las estrategias terapéuticas sobre el tipo de ejercicio, el control glucémico capilar (o mediante el uso de monitoreo continuo de glucosa, MCG) y la adecuación de la insulinoterapia y de la ingesta de hidratos de carbono. Se prioriza que, para optimizar los beneficios del ejercicio como parte del tratamiento de la DM1, es importante una completa y constante educación diabetológica para el paciente y sus cuidadores brindada por un equipo interdisciplinario entrenado en el manejo integral de niños, niñas y adolescentes con DM1.
IntroductionMillions of people survive injuries to the central or peripheral nervous system for which neurorehabilitation is required. In addition to the physical and cognitive impairments, many ...neurorehabilitation patients experience pain, often not widely recognised and inadequately treated. This is particularly true for multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, for whom pain is one of the most common symptoms. In clinical practice, pain assessment is usually conducted based on a subjective estimate. This approach can lead to inaccurate evaluations due to the influence of numerous factors, including emotional or cognitive aspects. To date, no objective and simple to use clinical methods allow objective quantification of pain and the diagnostic differentiation between the two main types of pain (nociceptive vs neuropathic). Wearable technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) have the potential to bridge this gap by continuously monitoring patients’ health parameters and extracting meaningful information from them. Therefore, we propose to develop a new automatic AI-powered tool to assess pain and its characteristics during neurorehabilitation treatments using physiological signals collected by wearable sensors.Methods and analysisWe aim to recruit 15 participants suffering from MS undergoing physiotherapy treatment. During the study, participants will wear a wristband for three consecutive days and be monitored before and after their physiotherapy sessions. Measurement of traditionally used pain assessment questionnaires and scales (ie, painDETECT, Doleur Neuropathique 4 Questions, EuroQoL-5-dimension-3-level) and physiological signals (photoplethysmography, electrodermal activity, skin temperature, accelerometer data) will be collected. Relevant parameters from physiological signals will be identified, and AI algorithms will be used to develop automatic classification methods.Ethics and disseminationThe study has been approved by the local Ethical Committee (285-2022-SPER-AUSLBO). Participants are required to provide written informed consent. The results will be disseminated through contributions to international conferences and scientific journals, and they will also be included in a doctoral dissertation.Trial registration numberNCT05747040.
El Comité de Pediatría de la Sociedad Argentina de Diabetes (SAD) tiene como función el desarrollo de trabajos de investigación clínica, jornadas y cursos para diabetólogos miembros de la SAD con ...extensión a profesionales dedicados a la atención integral de niños y adolescentes con diabetes.En la actualidad es coordinado por el Dr. Fabio Palacios Porta y la Dra. Adriana Flores en la función de secretaria, y son los miembros del Comité 36 médicas/os representantes de centros médicos infanto juveniles en las distintas provincias del país. Cuenta con la asesoría honorífica de la Dra. Olga Ramos y con la consultoría de las Dras. Carmen Sylvia Mazza, Blanca Ozuna y Liliana Trifone, importantes referentes de la diabetología infanto juvenil.
