Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39973458›Full record

ArticleJournal of neuromuscular diseases

Development of the SMA EFFORT: A new approach to characterize perceived physical fatigability in spinal muscular atrophy.

Rafael Rodriguez-Torres, Cara H Kanner, Emma L Gay, David Uher, Thomas Corbeil, Giorgia Coratti, Sally Dunaway Young, Annemarie Rohwer, Robert Muni Lofra, Michael P McDermott and 4 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of neuromuscular diseases. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing 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

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Biomarkers in spinal muscular atrophy.Frontiers in neurology · 2025
    Review
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

14 authors.

Rafael Rodriguez-TorresDepartments of Rehabilitation and Regenerative Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
Cara H KannerDepartments of Rehabilitation and Regenerative Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
Emma L GayDepartment of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
David UherDepartments of Rehabilitation and Regenerative Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
Thomas CorbeilDepartment of Psychiatry, Area Mental Health Data Science, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
Giorgia CorattiCentro Clinico Nemo, Department of Woman and Child Health and Public Health, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
Sally Dunaway YoungDepartment of Neurology and Clinical Neurosciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, USA.
Annemarie RohwerDubowitz Neuromuscular Centre, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK.
Robert Muni LofraThe John Walton Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University and Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
Michael P McDermottDepartments of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, and Neurology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA.
Darryl C De VivoNeurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
Melanie M WallDepartment of Psychiatry, Area Mental Health Data Science, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
Nancy W GlynnDepartment of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Jacqueline MontesDepartments of Rehabilitation and Regenerative Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundFatigue and fatigability are commonly reported in spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). Physical fatigability, proposed to be the most relevant to SMA pathophysiology, encompasses performance-based and perceived physical fatigability (PPF) assessments. While performance-based measures have highlighted physical fatigability as an SMA hallmark, PPF is not well characterized due to the lack of disease- and construct-specific scales.

objectiveOur aim was to create a patient-reported outcome measure tailored for SMA, named the SMA EFFORT, to improve PPF assessment. Here, we describe the scale development process, assess scale properties, and discuss future research and application.

methodsSMA and scale development experts organized a comprehensive physical activity item bank, relevant across the SMA phenotypic spectrum. Activities were systematically categorized by varying intensities and durations. The SMA EFFORT was completed by an international cohort of individuals with all types of SMA. To compare PPF across demographic and clinical variables, SMA EFFORT PPF percent (PPF%) composite scoring was established.

resultsOne hundred eighteen participants completed the SMA EFFORT. Total PPF% scores were broadly distributed within functional groups, with differences between non-sitters (35.1 ± 21.0) and sitters (24.9 ± 15.1) (

conclusionsThe novel SMA EFFORT standardizes PPF ratings by anchoring activity to intensity and duration. Item and scale data insights will inform the next iteration, which will undergo additional investigation. The SMA EFFORT aims to improve upon current measures to better assess treatment impact on physical well-being across the SMA spectrum.

Indexed as

FatigueMuscular Atrophy, SpinalPatient Reported Outcome MeasuresAdolescentAdultChildExerciseFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedYoung Adultneuromuscular diseasepatient-reported outcome measurephysical fatigabilityspinal muscular atrophy

Identifiers

PMID39973458
PMCPMC11949303

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC
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Registered trials

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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.