Real time ultrasound scanning of lumbar multifidus in chronic low back pain populations: a systematic review of methodological consistency and measurement reliability
Conference Contribution ResearchOnline@JCUAbstract
Background/Aims: Real time ultrasound imaging (RTUS) has been used to measure the lumbar multifdus (LM) muscle in low back pain (LBP) populations. However, increased body mass index and older age in chronic compared to acute or sub-acute LBP groups, presents challenges to scanning methods and measurement reliability. Therefore, a review of previously reported methodologies and reliability for LM measurements was conducted to identify the evidence base for LM measurement using RTUS in chronic low back pain (CLBP) populations. Methods: A systematic search of MEDLINE, CINAHL, PEDro, Cochrane, Scopus and Informit databases was conducted. Studies that reported RTUS measurement of LM in CLBP populations were included. Two independent reviewers used the QualSyst and the QAREL to appraise each of the included studies. Results: Seven studies were included in the review. Methodological quality was moderate to high. Transducer position, measurement and patient position varied throughout the included studies. Reliability reporting was absent or poorly reported, and was calculated from healthy or combined healthy and CLBP populations. Intra-rater reliability was moderate to high with an ICC[3,1] over 0.9 and a dependability co-efficient from 0.50 to 0.94. Inter-rater reliability was lower with a dependability co-efficient ranging from 0.31 to 0.78. Conclusions: This review showed that reported methods were inconsistent and reliability was often reported from combined CLBP and asymptomatic subjects. Currently, insufficient evidence exists to determine the reliability of LM measurement using RTUS specifically in CLBP populations. Further studies are required to evaluate measurement reliability of LM using standardised methodologies in CLBP populations.
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Townsville Health Symposium 2015: Spotlight on Local Researchers
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1
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Townsville, QLD, Australia
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Australasian College of Tropical Medicine
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Townsville, QLD, Australia
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