Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38642136›Full record

ArticleEuropean spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society2024

The use of the Core Yellow Flags Index for the assessment of psychosocial distress in patients undergoing surgery of the cervical spine.

Francine Mariaux, Achim Elfering, Tamás F Fekete, François Porchet, Daniel Haschtmann, Raluca Reitmeir, Markus Loibl, Dezsö Jeszenszky, Frank S Kleinstück, Anne F Mannion

Abstract read
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in 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, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. The Core Outcome Measures Index (COMI) comes of age: 18 years of efficient and effective patient-reported outcome measurement in the field of spinal disorders. Part 1. Development of the COMI, interpretation of scores, and use in research.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 · 2025
    Review
  2. Changes in Pain-Related Psychological Distress After Surgery in Patients with Musculoskeletal Injury.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2025
    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

10 authors.

Francine MariauxDepartment of Teaching, Research and Development, Spine Centre Division, Schulthess Klinik, Lengghalde 2, 8008, Zurich, Switzerland. Francine.mariaux@kws.ch.ORCID 0000-0002-2314-4870
Achim ElferingInstitute for Psychology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.ORCID 0000-0003-4274-0261
Tamás F FeketeSpine Centre, Schulthess Klinik, Zurich, Switzerland.ORCID 0000-0001-5231-5600
François PorchetSpine Centre, Schulthess Klinik, Zurich, Switzerland.
Daniel HaschtmannSpine Centre, Schulthess Klinik, Zurich, Switzerland.ORCID 0000-0003-0437-8521
Raluca ReitmeirSpine Centre, Schulthess Klinik, Zurich, Switzerland.
Markus LoiblSpine Centre, Schulthess Klinik, Zurich, Switzerland.ORCID 0000-0001-7631-0476
Dezsö JeszenszkySpine Centre, Schulthess Klinik, Zurich, Switzerland.
Frank S KleinstückSpine Centre, Schulthess Klinik, Zurich, Switzerland.ORCID 0000-0003-2057-2201
Anne F MannionDepartment of Teaching, Research and Development, Spine Centre Division, Schulthess Klinik, Lengghalde 2, 8008, Zurich, Switzerland.ORCID 0000-0002-1203-1096

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPsychosocial distress (the presence of yellow flags) has been linked to poor outcomes in spine surgery. The Core Yellow Flags Index (CYFI), a short instrument assessing the 4 main yellow flags, was developed for use in patients undergoing lumbar spine surgery. This study evaluated its ability to predict outcome in patients undergoing cervical spine surgery.

methodsPatients with degenerative spinal disorders (excluding myelopathy) operated in one centre, from 2015 to 2019, were asked to complete the CYFI at baseline and the Core Outcome Measures Index (COMI) at baseline and 3 and 12 months after surgery. The relationship between CYFI and COMI scores at baseline as well as the predictive ability of the CYFI on the COMI follow-up scores were tested using structural equation modelling.

resultsFrom 731 eligible patients, 547 (61.0 ± 12.5 years; 57.2% female) completed forms at all three timepoints. On a cross-sectional basis, preoperative CYFI and COMI scores were highly correlated (β = 0.54, in men and 0.51 in women; each p < 0.001). CYFI added significantly and independently to the prediction of COMI at 3 months' FU in men (β = 0.36) and 12 months' FU in men and women (both β = 0.20) (all p < 0.001).

conclusionThe CYFI had a low to moderate but significant and independent association with cervical spine surgery outcomes. Implementing the CYFI in the preoperative workup of these patients could help refine outcome predictions and better manage patient expectations.

Indexed as

Cervical VertebraeAgedCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPsychological DistressSpinal DiseasesCore Yellow Flags IndexOutcomesRegistry dataSpine surgeryYellow flags

Identifiers

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
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.