Umile Giuseppe Longo, Alessandra Berton, Luca Denaro, Giuseppe Salvatore, Vincenzo Denaro


September 2016, Volume 25, Issue 9, pp 2952 - 2957 Original Article Read Full Article 10.1007/s00586-016-4512-6

First Online: 09 March 2016

Purpose

The modified Japanese orthopaedic association scale (mJOA) is considered one of the most appropriate outcome measures for the assessment of cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM). Moreover, mJOA has been recognised among the key predictors of surgical outcome at a global level. To apply the mJOA successfully at an international level, it should be translated and culturally adapted in the native language of the investigators using this scale. A translated version of the mJOA or any other functional scale has never been studied within an Italian population affected by CSM. The aim of this study has been to describe translation, cultural adaptation and psychometric properties of the Italian version of the mJOA (mJOA-IT).

Methods

The mJOA-IT was developed following a forward–backward translation procedure. Psychometric properties were assessed on a cohort of patients with CSM undergone anterior or posterior decompression associated with stabilisation in lordosis.

Results

The mJOA-IT proved to be a reliable outcome measure for CSM (internal consistency 0.60, test–retest stability 0.910, P 

Conclusions

The mJOA-IT proved to be a reliable and valid tool to assess patients affected by CSM. This form is recommended to be used for clinical and research purposes in Italy, to promote the global standardisation of assessment tools and to compare studies on CSM worldwide.


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