Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35769029›Full record

ArticleGlobal spine journal2024

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.

Benjamin M Davies, Danyal Z Khan, Kara Barzangi, Ahmad Ali, Oliver D Mowforth, Aria Nouri, James S Harrop, Bizhan Aarabi, Vafa Rahimi-Movaghar, Shekar N Kurpad and 16 more

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Global spine journal, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 32 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
32citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
12.4field-weighted citation impact, top 1% 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

32 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 59 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Gait analysis methods in people with spinal cord injury: a systematic review.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitation · 2026
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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

26 authors at 16 institutions in 6 countries.

Benjamin M DaviesAcademic Neurosurgery Unit, Department of Clinical Neurosurgery, University of Cambridge, UK.ORCID 0000-0003-0591-5069
Danyal Z KhanDepartment of Neurosurgery, Walton Centre, UK.
Kara BarzangiAcademic Neurosurgery Unit, Department of Clinical Neurosurgery, University of Cambridge, UK.
Ahmad AliDepartment of Neurosurgery, Walton Centre, UK.
Oliver D MowforthAcademic Neurosurgery Unit, Department of Clinical Neurosurgery, University of Cambridge, UK.ORCID 0000-0001-6788-745X
Aria NouriDepartment of Neurosurgery, Geneva University Hospital, University of Geneva, Switzerland.ORCID 0000-0002-4965-3059
James S HarropDepartment of Neurological Surgery, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Bizhan AarabiDepartment of Neurosurgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Vafa Rahimi-MovagharDepartment of Neurosurgery, Sina Trauma and Surgery Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran.
Shekar N KurpadDepartment of Neurosurgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Wauwatosa, WI, USA.
James D GuestDepartment of Neurosurgery and The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, The Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA.
Lindsay TetreaultDepartment of Neurology, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY, USA.
Brian K KwonDepartment of Orthopaedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Timothy F BoergerDepartment of Neurosurgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Wauwatosa, WI, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-1587-3704
Ricardo Rodrigues-PintoSpinal Unit (UVM), Department of Orthopaedics, Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Porto - Hospital de Santo António, Portugal.ORCID 0000-0002-6903-348X
Julio C FurlanDepartment of Medicine, Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.ORCID 0000-0002-2038-0018
Robert ChenDivision of Neurology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Carl Moritz ZipserUniversity Spine Center, Balgrist University Hospital, Switzerland.
Armin CurtUniversity Spine Center, Balgrist University Hospital, Switzerland.
James MilliganCentre for Family Medicine, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Sukhivinder Kalsi-RaynKITE Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Ellen SarewitzMyelopathy.org, UK.
Iwan SadlerMyelopathy.org, UK.
Shirley WiddopMyelopathy.org, UK.
Michael G FehlingsDivision of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.ORCID 0000-0002-5722-6364
Mark R N KotterAcademic Neurosurgery Unit, Department of Clinical Neurosurgery, University of Cambridge, UK.
University of Cambridge · GBMyeloma UK · GBUniversity of Toronto · CAMedical College of Wisconsin · USUniversitätsklinik Balgrist · CHUniversity of Liverpool · GBCentre for Family Medicine · CAHospital de Santo António · PTNYU Langone Health · USSina Hospital · IRThomas Jefferson University · USUniversity Health Network · CAUniversity of British Columbia · CAUniversity of Geneva · CHUniversity of Maryland, Baltimore · USUniversity of Miami · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

STUDY

designModified DELPHI Consensus Process.

objectiveTo 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.

methodAO 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.

resultsDegenerative 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.

conclusionA 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.

Indexed as

CervicalconsensusdegenerationDisc Herniationhealth informaticsindex termMyelopathyOssification Posterior Longitudinal LigamentSpondylosisSpondyloticStenosis

Identifiers

PMID35769029
PMCPMC10802519
OpenAlexW4283730947

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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.