Towards harmonisation of case definitions for eight work-related musculoskeletal disorders - an international multi-disciplinary Delphi study

BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders

Stefania Curti¹  Stefano Mattioli¹  Jose Hernán Alfonso²  Ingrid S. Mehlum³  Irina Guseva Canu⁴  P. Paul F. M. Kuijer⁵  Henk F. van der Molen⁵  Steven Visser⁵  Sietske J. Tamminga⁵  David Rempel⁶  Joana Amaro⁷  Kathryn Badarin⁸  Yves Roquelaure⁹ 

[1] Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy;Department of Occupational Medicine and Epidemiology, National Institute of Occupational Health, Oslo, Norway;Department of Occupational Medicine and Epidemiology, National Institute of Occupational Health, Oslo, Norway;Institute of Health and Society, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway;Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Center of Primary Care and Public Health (Unisanté), University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland;Department of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Coronel Institute of Occupational Health, Netherlands Center for Occupational Diseases, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, The Netherlands;Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, USA;EPIUnit - Institute of Public Health, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal;Unit of Occupational Medicine, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden;Univ Angers, CHU Angers, Univ Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail) - UMR_S 1085, F-49000, Angers, France;

关键词: Low back pain;    Lumbosacral radicular syndrome;    Subacromial pain syndrome;    Carpal tunnel syndrome;    Lateral elbow tendinopathy;    Medial elbow tendinopathy;    Epicondylitis;    Tennis elbow;    Knee osteoarthritis;    Hip osteoarthritis;    Occupational disease;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12891-021-04871-9

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundInternational consensus is needed on case definitions of work-related musculoskeletal disorders and diseases (MSDs) for use in epidemiological research. We aim to: 1) study what information is needed for the case definition of work-related low back pain (LBP), lumbosacral radicular syndrome (LRS), subacromial pain syndrome (SAPS), carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), lateral and medial elbow tendinopathy, and knee and hip osteoarthritis, and to 2) seek consensus among occupational health professionals/researchers regarding the case definitions of these work-related MSDs.MethodsA two-round Delphi study was conducted with occupational health professionals/researchers from 24 countries. Definition of work-related MSDs were composed of a case definition with work exposures. Round 1 included 32 case definitions and round 2, 60 case definitions. After two rounds, consensus required 75% of the panellists to rate a case definition including work exposures ≥7 points on a 9-point rating scale (completely disagree/completely agree).ResultsFifty-eight panellists completed both rounds (response rate 90%). Forty-five (70%) panellists thought that for LBP a case definition can be based on symptoms only. Consensus was only reached for work-related medial elbow tendinopathy, while the lowest agreement was found for knee osteoarthritis. Where consensus was not reached, this was – except for LBP - related to physical examination and imaging rather than disagreement on key symptoms.ConclusionConsensus on case definitions was reached only for work-related medial elbow tendinopathy. Epidemiological research would benefit from harmonized case definitions for all MSDs including imaging and physical examination for LRS, SAPS, CTS, lateral elbow tendinopathy and hip and knee osteoarthritis.

【 授权许可】

CC BY