| Title |
Can patients with symptomatic Tarlov cysts be differentiated from patients with specific low back pain based on comprehensive history taking?
|
|---|---|
| Published in |
Acta Neurochirurgica, February 2018
|
| DOI | 10.1007/s00701-018-3494-z |
| Pubmed ID | |
| Authors |
Maria Anna Hulens, Wim Dankaerts, Ricky Rasschaert, Frans Bruyninckx, Marie-Laure Willaert, Charlotte Vereecke, Greet Vansant |
| Abstract |
Tarlov cysts (TCs) are expanded nerve root sheaths that occur near the dorsal root ganglion and result from increased intraspinal hydrostatic pressure. TCs most frequently affect the lumbosacral plexus and therefore may cause specific symptoms such as perineal pain and neurogenic bladder, bowel, and sphincter problems. It has been estimated that 1% of the population has symptomatic Tarlov cysts (STCs). However, STCs appear to be underdiagnosed, with the pain reported by patients commonly attributed to degenerative alterations seen on MRI. The aim of the present study is to investigate the utility of a comprehensive questionnaire for use by physicians in establishing the diagnosis of STCs. We compared questionnaire responses regarding patient history between 33 patients diagnosed with symptomatic TCs and 42 patients with chronic low back pain and sciatica due to disc problems or degenerative or inflammatory disorders. The diagnosis of STCs was confirmed using nerve conduction studies (NCS) and electromyography (EMG) of the sacral myotomes by an expert neurophysiologist. The questionnaire responses revealed specific differences in perineal symptoms (perineal pain, dyspareunia, coccygodynia), bowel symptoms (constipation, diarrhea), bladder symptoms (hesitation, retention, frequency), and anal sphincter problems (anal pain, mild fecal incontinence). Additionally, sitting, walking, and straining aggravated pain more frequently in STC patients, and STC patients were more often forced to stop working and/or reduce their social activities. Including the above-listed items in the patient history might facilitate differentiation of low back pain and sciatica due to STCs from that due to disc problems or degenerative or inflammatory disorders. |
X Demographics
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Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 1 | 33% |
| Netherlands | 1 | 33% |
| Unknown | 1 | 33% |
Demographic breakdown
| Type | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Members of the public | 3 | 100% |
Mendeley readers
The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 39 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.
Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 39 | 100% |
Demographic breakdown
| Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Student > Master | 7 | 18% |
| Student > Ph. D. Student | 5 | 13% |
| Researcher | 4 | 10% |
| Student > Bachelor | 4 | 10% |
| Other | 3 | 8% |
| Other | 3 | 8% |
| Unknown | 13 | 33% |
| Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Medicine and Dentistry | 11 | 28% |
| Nursing and Health Professions | 6 | 15% |
| Sports and Recreations | 2 | 5% |
| Psychology | 1 | 3% |
| Unspecified | 1 | 3% |
| Other | 2 | 5% |
| Unknown | 16 | 41% |
Attention Score in Context
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 3. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 24 August 2019.
All research outputs
#12,805,885
of 23,088,369 outputs
Outputs from Acta Neurochirurgica
#969
of 1,939 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#154,569
of 330,883 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Acta Neurochirurgica
#8
of 26 outputs
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So far Altmetric has tracked 1,939 research outputs from this source. They receive a mean Attention Score of 4.2. This one is in the 49th percentile – i.e., 49% of its peers scored the same or lower than it.
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We're also able to compare this research output to 26 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one has gotten more attention than average, scoring higher than 69% of its contemporaries.