ArticleQuality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation2014
Differential item functioning in the Observer Scale of the POSAS for different scar types.
Article in Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT04320355 (Exploring the Effects of Soft Tissue Manual Therapy on the Viscoelastic Properties, Pressure Sensitivity and Touch Sensitivity of the Caesarean Section Scar), which is not on this map. Cited by 12 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Exploring the Effects of Soft Tissue Manual Therapy on the Viscoelastic Properties, Pressure Sensitivity and Touch Sensitivity of the Caesarean Section Scar
Who cites it
12 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- [Clinical practice guideline for pediatric scar prevention and treatment (2025 edition)].Zhonghua shao shang yu chuang mian xiu fu za zhi · 2025Guideline
- Patient-Reported Outcome Instruments for Surgical and Traumatic Scars: A Systematic Review of their Development, Content, and Psychometric Validation.Aesthetic plastic surgery · 2016Pooled it
- Exploring the Effects of Standardized Soft Tissue Mobilization on the Viscoelastic Properties, Pressure Pain Thresholds, and Tactile Pressure Thresholds of the Cesarean Section Scar.Journal of integrative and complementary medicine · 2022Trial
- Electrosclerotherapy for capillary malformations: study protocol for a randomised within-patient controlled pilot trial.BMJ open · 2017Trial
- Development of the Observer Scales of the Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale: An International Delphi Study.Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open · 2025Article
- Clinical practice guideline for pediatric scar prevention and treatment (2025 edition).Burns & trauma · 2025Review
- Comparison of Colorado Needle Electrocautery and Traditional Scalpel for Lower Eyelid Blepharoplasty Incision: A Randomized Controlled Trial.Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open · 2024Article
- Shear Wave Elastography of the Skin following Radial Forearm Free Flap Surgery in Transgender Patients: Observational Study.Journal of clinical medicine · 2024Article
- Advanced Facial Rejuvenation: Synergistic Effects of Lower Blepharoplasty and Ultrasound Guided Mid-Face Lift Using Polydioxanone (PDO) Threads.Aesthetic plastic surgery · 2024Article
- Quantitative evaluation of pediatric umbilical loop stomas: 2 decades of experience from a single institution.Pediatric surgery international · 2023Article
- Comparison of Colorado Needle Electrocautery and Traditional Scalpel for Upper Eyelid Blepharoplasty Incision: A Randomized Controlled Trial and Systematic Review.Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open · 2023Article
- Cross-cultural adaptation, reproducibility and validation of the Italian version of the Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale (POSAS).International wound journal · 2017Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
purposeTo investigate whether the Observer Scale of the Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale (POSAS) can serve as a generic measure for scar quality across different scar types.
methodsA collection of POSAS scores derived from several clinical trials on burn (n = 404), linear (n = 384), and keloidal scars (n = 282) was analyzed using the partial credit model of the Rasch analysis package RUMM2030.
resultsDifferential item functioning (DIF) was observed for the Observer Scale of the POSAS between the three scar types for the items pliability, thickness, and surface area, which could be solved by item splitting. The items pigmentation and thickness showed disordered thresholds, considerable misfit, and unpredictability.
conclusionUsers of the Observer Scale of the POSAS must be aware that the raw scores obtained from burn, linear, and keloidal scars cannot be compared without the scar-specific DIF adjustment of the items pliability, thickness, and surface area.
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Registered trials
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