We Choose to Call It ‘Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy’: Findings of Ao Spine Recode-Dcm, an International and Multi-Stakeholder Partnership to Agree a Standard Unifying Term and Definition for a Disease

We Choose to Call It ‘Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy’: Findings of Ao Spine Recode-Dcm, an International and Multi-Stakeholder Partnership to Agree a Standard Unifying Term and Definition for a Disease Publisher

Davies BM^{1, 2} ; Khan DZ^{3, 4} ; Barzangi K¹ ; Ali A³ ; Mowforth OD^{1, 2} ; Nouri A⁵ ; Harrop JS⁶ ; Aarabi B⁷ ; Rahimimovaghar V⁸ ; Kurpad SN⁹ ; Guest JD¹⁰ ; Tetreault L¹¹ ; Kwon BK¹² ; Boerger TF⁹ Show All Authors

Davies BM^{1, 2}
Khan DZ^{3, 4}
Barzangi K¹
Ali A³
Mowforth OD^{1, 2}
Nouri A⁵
Harrop JS⁶
Aarabi B⁷
Rahimimovaghar V⁸
Kurpad SN⁹
Guest JD¹⁰
Tetreault L¹¹
Kwon BK¹²
Boerger TF⁹
Rodriguespinto R^{13, 14}
Furlan JC¹⁵
Chen R¹⁶
Zipser CM¹⁷
Curt A¹⁷
Milligan J¹⁸
Kalsirayn S¹⁹
Sarewitz E²
Sadler I²
Widdop S²
Fehlings MG²⁰
Kotter MRN^{1, 2}

Show Affiliations

1. Academic Neurosurgery Unit, Department of Clinical Neurosurgery, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom
2. Myelopathy.org, United Kingdom
3. Department of Neurosurgery, Walton Centre, United Kingdom
4. Wellcome / EPSRC Centre for Interventional and Surgical Sciences, University College London, United Kingdom
5. Department of Neurosurgery, Geneva University Hospital, University of Geneva, Switzerland
6. Department of Neurological Surgery, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
7. Department of Neurosurgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
8. Department of Neurosurgery, Sina Trauma and Surgery Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran
9. Department of Neurosurgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Wauwatosa, WI, United States
10. Department of Neurosurgery and The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, The Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
11. Department of Neurology, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY, United States
12. Department of Orthopaedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
13. Spinal Unit (UVM), Department of Orthopaedics, Centro Hospitalar Universitario do Porto - Hospital de Santo Antonio, Portugal
14. Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas Abel Salazar, Portugal
15. Department of Medicine, Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
16. Division of Neurology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
17. University Spine Center, Balgrist University Hospital, Switzerland
18. Centre for Family Medicine, Toronto, ON, Canada
19. KITE Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
20. Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

Source: Global Spine Journal Published:2024

Abstract

Study Design: Modified DELPHI Consensus Process Objective: To agree a single unifying term and definition. Globally, cervical myelopathy caused by degenerative changes to the spine is known by over 11 different names. This inconsistency contributes to many clinical and research challenges, including a lack of awareness. Method: AO Spine RECODE-DCM (Research objectives and Common Data Elements Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy). To determine the index term, a longlist of candidate terms and their rationale, was created using a literature review and interviews. This was shared with the community, to select their preferred terms (248 members (58%) including 149 (60%) surgeons, 45 (18%) other healthcare professionals and 54 (22%) People with DCM or their supporters) and finalized using a consensus meeting. To determine a definition, a medical definition framework was created using inductive thematic analysis of selected International Classification of Disease definitions. Separately, stakeholders submitted their suggested definition which also underwent inductive thematic analysis (317 members (76%), 190 (59%) surgeons, 62 (20%) other healthcare professionals and 72 (23%) persons living with DCM or their supporters). Using this definition framework, a working definition was created based on submitted content, and finalized using consensus meetings. Results: Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy was selected as the unifying term, defined in short, as a progressive spinal cord injury caused by narrowing of the cervical spinal canal Conclusion: A consistent term and definition can support education and research initiatives. This was selected using a structured and iterative methodology, which may serve as an exemplar for others in the future. © The Author(s) 2022.

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Style	Citing Format
MLA	Davies BM, et al.. "We Choose to Call It ‘Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy’: Findings of Ao Spine Recode-Dcm, an International and Multi-Stakeholder Partnership to Agree a Standard Unifying Term and Definition for a Disease." Global Spine Journal, vol. 14, no. 2, 2024, pp. 503-512.
APA	Davies BM, Khan DZ, Barzangi K, Ali A, Mowforth OD, Nouri A, Harrop JS, Aarabi B, Rahimimovaghar V, Kurpad SN, Guest JD, Tetreault L, Kwon BK, Boerger TF, Rodriguespinto R, Furlan JC, Chen R, Zipser CM, Curt A, ... Kotter MRN (2024). We Choose to Call It ‘Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy’: Findings of Ao Spine Recode-Dcm, an International and Multi-Stakeholder Partnership to Agree a Standard Unifying Term and Definition for a Disease. Global Spine Journal, 14(2), 503-512.
Chicago	Davies BM, Khan DZ, Barzangi K, Ali A, Mowforth OD, Nouri A, Harrop JS, et al.. "We Choose to Call It ‘Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy’: Findings of Ao Spine Recode-Dcm, an International and Multi-Stakeholder Partnership to Agree a Standard Unifying Term and Definition for a Disease." Global Spine Journal 14, no. 2 (2024): 503-512.
Harvard	Davies BM et al. (2024) 'We Choose to Call It ‘Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy’: Findings of Ao Spine Recode-Dcm, an International and Multi-Stakeholder Partnership to Agree a Standard Unifying Term and Definition for a Disease', Global Spine Journal, 14(2), pp. 503-512.
Vancouver	Davies BM, Khan DZ, Barzangi K, Ali A, Mowforth OD, Nouri A, et al.. We Choose to Call It ‘Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy’: Findings of Ao Spine Recode-Dcm, an International and Multi-Stakeholder Partnership to Agree a Standard Unifying Term and Definition for a Disease. Global Spine Journal. 2024;14(2):503-512.
BibTex	@article{ author = {Davies BM and Khan DZ and Barzangi K and Ali A and Mowforth OD and Nouri A and Harrop JS and Aarabi B and Rahimimovaghar V and Kurpad SN and Guest JD and Tetreault L and Kwon BK and Boerger TF and Rodriguespinto R and Furlan JC and Chen R and Zipser CM and Curt A and Milligan J and Kalsirayn S and Sarewitz E and Sadler I and Widdop S and Fehlings MG and Kotter MRN}, title = {We Choose to Call It ‘Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy’: Findings of Ao Spine Recode-Dcm, an International and Multi-Stakeholder Partnership to Agree a Standard Unifying Term and Definition for a Disease}, journal = {Global Spine Journal}, volume = {14}, number = {2}, pages = {503-512}, year = {2024} }
RIS	TY - JOUR AU - Davies BM AU - Khan DZ AU - Barzangi K AU - Ali A AU - Mowforth OD AU - Nouri A AU - Harrop JS AU - Aarabi B AU - Rahimimovaghar V AU - Kurpad SN AU - Guest JD AU - Tetreault L AU - Kwon BK AU - Boerger TF AU - Rodriguespinto R AU - Furlan JC AU - Chen R AU - Zipser CM AU - Curt A AU - Milligan J AU - Kalsirayn S AU - Sarewitz E AU - Sadler I AU - Widdop S AU - Fehlings MG AU - Kotter MRN TI - We Choose to Call It ‘Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy’: Findings of Ao Spine Recode-Dcm, an International and Multi-Stakeholder Partnership to Agree a Standard Unifying Term and Definition for a Disease JO - Global Spine Journal VL - 14 IS - 2 SP - 503 EP - 512 PY - 2024 ER -

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