Observational studyActa neurochirurgica2022
Surgery for degenerative cervical myelopathy in the elderly: a nationwide registry-based observational study with patient-reported outcomes.
Observational study in Acta neurochirurgica, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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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.
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.
Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 19 citations in OpenAlex.
- The effect of preoperative mental health on outcomes of cervical spine surgery: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Neurosurgical review · 2026Pooled it
- Neurological and Biomechanical Evaluation of 72 Patients with Degenerative Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy at 3, 6, and 12 Months Following Anterior Cervical Corpectomy and Fusion.Medical science monitor : international medical journal of experimental and clinical research · 2025Article
- Patient-reported outcome measures and satisfaction after laminectomy for degenerative cervical myelopathy in octogenarians: an observational study from the national Swedish spine registry.European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society · 2025Observational
- Updates in current concepts in degenerative cervical myelopathy: a systematic review.Journal of spine surgery (Hong Kong) · 2024Review
- Physical Signs and Clinical Features of Cervical Myelopathy in Elderly Patients, Especially 80 Years or Older: Comparison of 100 Consecutive Operative Cases across Three Age Groups.Asian spine journal · 2023Article
- Letter to the Editor: Comparative Analysis of 30-Day Readmission, Reoperation, and Morbidity between Posterior Cervical Decompression and Fusion Performed in Inpatient and Outpatient Settings.Asian spine journal · 2023Article
- Return to work after surgery for degenerative cervical myelopathy: a nationwide registry-based observational study.Acta neurochirurgica · 2023Observational
- Neurological recovery rate and minimal clinically important difference as metrics for assessing outcomes of decompressive surgery in patients with degenerative cervical myelopathy.Acta neurochirurgica · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
8 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe aim of this study was to investigate whether clinical outcomes in patients aged ≥ 70 undergoing decompressive surgery for degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) differ from those of younger patients (50-70 years) at 1 year.
methodsData were obtained from the Norwegian Registry for Spine Surgery (NORspine). Among 651 patients included, 177 (27.2%) were ≥ 70 years old. The primary outcome was change in the Neck Disability Index (NDI). Secondary outcomes were changes in the European Myelopathy Score (EMS), quality of life (EuroQoL EQ-5D), numeric rating scales (NRS) for headache, neck pain, and arm pain, and complications.
resultsSignificant improvements in all patient-reported outcomes (PROMs) were detected for both age cohorts at 1 year. For the two age cohorts combined, there was a statistically significant improvement in the NDI score (mean 9.2, 95% CI 7.7 to 10.6, P < 0.001). There were no differences between age cohorts in mean change of NDI (- 8.9 vs. - 10.1, P = 0.48), EQ-5D (0.13 vs. 0.17, P = 0.37), or NRS pain scores, but elderly patients experienced a larger improvement in EMS (0.7 vs. 1.3, P = 0.02). A total of 74 patients (15.6%) in the younger cohort and 43 patients (24.3%) in the older cohort experienced complications or adverse effects within 3 months of surgery, mainly urinary and respiratory tract infections.
conclusionSurgery for DCM was associated with significant improvement across a wide range of PROMs for both younger and elderly patients. Surgery for DCM should not be denied based on age alone.
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Registered trials
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