Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40139218›Full record

SynthesisAge and ageing2025

Measurement properties of self-reported outcome measures for older adults with nonspecific low back pain: a systematic review.

Frank F Huang, Jitong Liang, Chung-Ying Lin, Dino Samartzis, Jaro Karppinen, Yongping Zheng, Zhixing Zhou, Daniel K Y Zheng, Jeremy R Chang, Katie de Luca and 1 more

Abstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Age and ageing, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–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 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. 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

11 authors.

Frank F HuangDepartment of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, China.ORCID 0000-0002-9195-7718
Jitong LiangDepartment of Rehabilitation, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
Chung-Ying LinInstitute of Allied Health Sciences, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City, Taiwan.ORCID 0000-0002-2129-4242
Dino SamartzisDepartment of Orthopedic Surgery, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-7473-1311
Jaro KarppinenMedical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.ORCID 0000-0002-2158-6042
Yongping ZhengDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, China.ORCID 0000-0002-3407-9226
Zhixing ZhouDepartment of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Daniel K Y ZhengDepartment of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, China.ORCID 0000-0002-9976-2149
Jeremy R ChangDepartment of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, China.ORCID 0000-0002-8179-4951
Katie de LucaSchool of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, CQUniversity, Brisbane, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-2763-771X
Arnold Y L WongDepartment of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, China.ORCID 0000-0002-5911-5756

Funding

Better Utilization of Allocated Budget 4-ZZ4XGP Batteries Industrial Safety Trust Fund (R-ZDDR)The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Research Institute of Smart Ageing Fund 1-CD63
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo summarise the measurement properties of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) for older adults with nonspecific low back pain.

methodsEight databases were searched from inception to January 2024. Two independent reviewers conducted article screening, data extraction, risk of bias assessments, evaluations of measurement properties of PROMs, syntheses of quality of evidence and forming recommendation levels using relevant checklists and assessment tools.

resultsTen PROMs were identified from 12 included studies. The Functional Rating Index, Oswestry Disability Index, Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire and Quebec Back Pain Disability Scale demonstrated the highest recommendation (category A: PROM most suitable) for evaluating pain-related functional limitation or pain intensity in older adults with acute, subacute or chronic nonspecific low back pain. The Pain Response to Activity and Positioning questionnaire obtained a category A recommendation for making a differential diagnosis of chronic nonspecific low back pain in older adults. The 36-Item World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 was considered promising (category B: PROM recommended) for assessing physical functioning, while the Back Believe Questionnaire, Catastrophizing Avoidance Scale D-65+, Pain Catastrophizing Scale and Psychological Inflexibility in Pain Scale obtained category B recommendation for evaluating negative thoughts in this population, although further validation is warranted.

conclusionsThis systematic review identified suitable PROMs for assessing physical function in older adults with nonspecific low back pain, but more studies are needed to evaluate the measurement properties of questionnaires on other outcome domains in this population.

Indexed as

Low Back PainPatient Reported Outcome MeasuresSelf ReportAgedAged, 80 and overDisability EvaluationHumansPain MeasurementReproducibility of Resultsnonspecific low back painolder adultsolder peoplepatient-reported outcome measurespsychometric propertiessystematic review

Identifiers

PMID40139218
PMCPMC11942786

What OpenQuestion holds

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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.