Purpose
The contemporary literature evaluating outcomes after peripheral nerve injury (PNI) does not rigorously and adequately address the domains (motor, sensory, function, and pain) experienced by patients. Our goal was to develop a core outcomes set (COS) to evaluate outcomes after PNI.
Methods
We adhered to recommended guidelines for COS development. Following a systematic review of the literature, we assembled a panel of experts and used a modified Delphi to assess the appropriateness of candidate measures to evaluate recovery after PNI. We convened 20 experts in PNI using two initial electronic surveys, one in-person meeting, and a final electronic survey. We arrived at consensus (=70% of panelists) for required and recommended measures to evaluate outcomes after PNI.
Results
Our panel arrived at consensus for motor, sensory, function, and pain outcomes in patients after upper and lower extremity nerve injury. We designated the measures to use and the timing and administration of these measures.
Conclusions
We developed a COS that can be used by clinicians and researchers who evaluate patients with PNI. Our goal is to implement the COS in a unified manner, facilitating comparison in the literature as well as collaboration among centers.
Type of study/level of evidence
Diagnostic V.
Key words
Core outcomes set
Function
Motor
Outcomes
Peripheral nerve injury
Christopher J. Dy MD, MPH *, Alison L. Antes PhD †, Heather L. Baltzer MD ‡, Harvey Chim MD §, Jana Dengler MD ‡, Lisa Gfrerer MD ?, Scott H. Kozin MD ¶, Yusha Katie Liu MD #, Christine B. Novak DPT ‡, Hollie A. Power MD **, Nicholas Pulos MD ††, Jeffrey G. Stepan MD MSc ‡‡
COMET Nerve Study Group
Disease Category: Orthopaedics & trauma
Disease Name: Peripheral Nerve Injury
Age Range: 18 - 120
Sex: Either
Nature of Intervention: Any
- Clinical experts
- Researchers
- COS for clinical trials or clinical research
- Delphi process
- Systematic review