Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33478535›Full record

ArticleOrphanet journal of rare diseases2021

Development of the Screening Tool for Everyday Mobility and Symptoms (STEMS) for skeletal dysplasia.

Penelope J Ireland, Ravi Savarirayan, Tash Pocovi, Tracy Tate, Marie Coussens, Louise Tofts, Craig Munns, Verity Pacey

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Orphanet journal of rare diseases, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed
1.7field-weighted citation impact, top 15% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed, 18 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Experiences and treatment perspectives of adolescents and young adults with achondroplasia and caregivers: a qualitative interview study.Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation · 2026
    Article
  2. Review
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  8. Changes in skeletal dysplasia nosology.Romanian journal of morphology and embryology = Revue roumaine de morphologie et embryologie
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 6 institutions in 2 countries.

Penelope J IrelandQueensland Paediatric Rehabilitation Service, Queensland Children's Hospital, 501 Stanley Street, South Brisbane, QLD, 4101, Australia. Penny.ireland@health.qld.gov.au.ORCID 0000-0002-9619-9071
Ravi SavarirayanDepartment of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Flemington Road, Parkville VIC, 3052, Australia.
Tash PocoviDepartment of Health Professions, Macquarie University, Ground Floor, 75 Talavera Rd, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia.
Tracy TateThe Children's Hospital At Westmead, Locked Bag 4001, Westmead, NSW, 2145, Australia.
Marie CoussensDepartment of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy, Ghent University, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, 9000, Ghent, Belgium.
Louise ToftsKids Rehab, The Children's Hospital, Locked Bag 4001, Westmead, NSW, 2145, Australia.
Craig MunnsThe Children's Hospital At Westmead, Locked Bag 4001, Westmead, NSW, 2145, Australia.
Verity PaceyDepartment of Health Professions, Macquarie University, Ground Floor, 75 Talavera Rd, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia.
Children's Hospital at Westmead · AUThe University of Sydney · AUChildren’s Health Queensland Hospital and Health Service · AUGhent University · BEMacquarie University · AUThe University of Melbourne · AU

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSkeletal dysplasia are genetic disorders of cartilage and bone, characterized by impairments commonly resulting in short stature, altered movement biomechanics, pain, fatigue and reduced functional performance. While current tools quantify functional mobility performance, they have not been standardly used in this population group and do not capture patient-reported symptoms such as pain or fatigue. This study evaluated a new tool, the Screening Tool for Everyday Mobility and Symptoms (STEMS), designed to accurately and objectively assess functional mobility and associated symptomology for individuals with skeletal dysplasia.

methodsIndividuals aged 5-75 years with a skeletal dysplasia completed the STEMS, the Functional Mobility Scale (FMS) and Six Minute Walk Test (6MWT). The correlation among the STEMS, use of mobility aides, FMS and 6MWT normalised for leg length was calculated. One-way analysis of variance compared the STEMS symptomatology to normalised 6MWT distance.

resultsOne hundred and fifty individuals with skeletal dysplasia (76 achondroplasia, 42 osteogenesis imperfecta, 32 other; 74 < 18 years, 76 ≥ 18 years) participated. Almost two thirds of the group reported pain and/or fatigue when mobilising at home, at work or school and within the community, but only twenty percent recorded use of a mobility device. The STEMS setting category demonstrated highly significant correlations with the corresponding FMS category (r = - 0.983 to - 0.0994, all p < 0.001), and a low significant correlation with the normalised 6MWT distance (r = - 0.323 to - 0.394, all p < 0.001). A decreased normalised 6MWT distance was recorded for individuals who reported symptoms of pain and/or fatigue when mobilising at home or at work/school (all p ≤ 0.004). Those who reported pain only when mobilising in the community had a normal 6MWT distance (p = 0.43-0.46).

conclusionsThe Screening Tool for Everyday Mobility and Symptoms (STEMS) is a useful new tool to identify and record mobility aide use and associated self-reported symptoms across three environmental settings for adults and children with skeletal dysplasia. The STEMS may assist clinicians to monitor individuals for changes in functional mobility and symptoms over time, identify individuals who are functioning poorly compared to peers and need further assessment, and to measure effectiveness of treatment interventions in both clinical and research settings.

Indexed as

FatiguePainAdultChildHumansMass ScreeningWalk TestAchondroplasiaFatigueFunctional mobility toolMobilityOsteogenesis imperfectaPainSkeletal dysplasia

Identifiers

PMID33478535
PMCPMC7818550
OpenAlexW3125834775

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.