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Methods for the Best Evidence Synthesis on Neck Pain and Its Associated Disorders

The Bone and Joint Decade 2000–2010 Task Force on Neck Pain and Its Associated Disorders

  • Methodology
  • Published:
European Spine Journal Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Study Design

Best evidence synthesis.

Objective

To provide a detailed description of the methods undertaken in a systematic search and perform a best evidence synthesis on the frequency, determinants, assessment, interventions, course and prognosis of neck pain, and its associated disorders.

Summary of Background Data

Neck pain is an important cause of health burden; however, the published information is vast, and stakeholders would benefit from a summary of the best evidence.

Methods

The Bone and Joint Decade 2000–2010 Task Force on Neck Pain and its Associated Disorders conducted a systematic search and critical review of the literature published between 1980 and 2006 to assemble the best evidence on neck pain. Citations were screened for relevance to the Neck Pain Task Force mandate, using a priori criteria, and relevant studies were critically reviewed for their internal scientific validity. Findings from studies meeting criteria for scientific validity were synthesized into a best evidence synthesis.

Results

We found 31,878 citations, of which 1203 were relevant to the mandate of the Neck Pain Task Force. After critical review, 552 studies (46) were judged scientifically admissible and were compiled into the best evidence synthesis.

Conclusion

The Bone and Joint Decade 2000–2010 Task Force on Neck Pain and its Associated Disorders undertook a best evidence synthesis to establish a baseline of the current best evidence on the epidemiology, assessment and classification of neck pain, as well as interventions and prognosis for this symptom. This article reports the methods used and the outcomes from the review. We found that 46 of the research literature was of acceptable scientific quality to inform clinical practice, policy-making, and future research.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Public Health Sciences, and the Alberta Centre for Injury Control and Research, School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada

    Linda J. Carroll PhD

  2. Department of Public Health Sciences and Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

    J. David Cassidy DC, PhD, DMedSc & Pierre Côté DC, PhD

  3. Centre of Research Expertise in Improved Disability Outcomes (CREIDO), University Health Network Rehabilitation Solutions, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, Canada

    J. David Cassidy DC, PhD, DMedSc

  4. Division of Health Care and Outcomes Research, Toronto Western Research Institute, Toronto, Canada

    J. David Cassidy DC, PhD, DMedSc

  5. Endocrinology, Analgesia and Inflammation, Merck & Co, Rahway, NJ, USA

    Paul M. Peloso MD, MSc, FRCP(C)

  6. Neil John Maclean Health Sciences Library, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada

    Lori Giles-Smith MLIS

  7. Douglas College Library, New Westminster, BC, Canada

    C. Sam Cheng MLIS

  8. Department of Public Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada

    Stephen W. Greenhalgh MA, MLIS

  9. Department of Neurology, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA

    Scott Haldeman DC, MD, PhD

  10. Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Scott Haldeman DC, MD, PhD

  11. Department of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Gabrielle van der Velde DC

  12. Institute for Work & Health, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Gabrielle van der Velde DC, Pierre Côté DC, PhD & Sheilah Hogg-Johnson PhD

  13. Centre of Research Excellence in Improved Disability Outcomes (CREIDO), University Health Network Rehabilitation Solutions, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, Canada

    Gabrielle van der Velde DC & Pierre Côté DC, PhD

  14. Division of health Care Outcomes and Research, Toronto Western Research Institute, Toronto, Canada

    Gabrielle van der Velde DC & Pierre Côté DC, PhD

  15. Department of Public Health Sciences, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, USA

    Eric L. Hurwitz DC, PhD

  16. Department of Orthopaedics, School of Medicine and Graduate School of Arts and Science, NY University, NY, New York, USA

    Margareta Nordin PT, DMedSc

  17. Department of Environmental medicine and Program of Ergonomics and Biomechanics, School of Medicine and Graduate School of Arts and Science, NY University, New York, NY, USA

    Margareta Nordin PT, DMedSc

  18. Occupational and Industrial Orthopaedic Center (OIOC), NY University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA

    Margareta Nordin PT, DMedSc

  19. Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Sheilah Hogg-Johnson PhD

  20. Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden

    Lena W. Holm DMedSci

  21. Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada

    Jaime Guzman MD, MSc, FRCP

  22. Occupational Health and Safety Agency for Healthcare in BC, Vancouver, Canada

    Jaime Guzman MD, MSc, FRCP

  23. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA

    Eugene J. Carragee MD, FACS

  24. Orthopaedic Spine Center and Spinal Surgery Service, Stanford University Hospital and Clinics, Stanford, CA, USA

    Eugene J. Carragee MD, FACS

  25. 4075 RTF, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada, T6G 2E1

    Linda J. Carroll PhD

Authors
  1. Linda J. Carroll PhD
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  2. J. David Cassidy DC, PhD, DMedSc
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  3. Paul M. Peloso MD, MSc, FRCP(C)
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  4. Lori Giles-Smith MLIS
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  5. C. Sam Cheng MLIS
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  6. Stephen W. Greenhalgh MA, MLIS
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  7. Scott Haldeman DC, MD, PhD
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  8. Gabrielle van der Velde DC
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  9. Eric L. Hurwitz DC, PhD
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  10. Pierre Côté DC, PhD
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  11. Margareta Nordin PT, DMedSc
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  12. Sheilah Hogg-Johnson PhD
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  13. Lena W. Holm DMedSci
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  14. Jaime Guzman MD, MSc, FRCP
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  15. Eugene J. Carragee MD, FACS
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Linda J. Carroll PhD.

Additional information

The manuscript submitted does not contain information about medical device(s)/drug(s).

Corporate/Industry, Foundation, and Professional Organizational funds were received in support of this work. No benefits in any form have been or will be received from a commercial party related directly or indirectly to the subject of this manuscript.

Reprinted with permission from Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Carroll LJ, Cassidy JD, Peloso PM, et al., Methods for the Best Evidence Synthesis on Neck Pain and Its Associated Disorders, The Bone and Joint Decade 2000–2010 Task Force on Neck Pain and Its Associated Disorders, SPINE, Volume 33, Number 4S, pp S33–S38

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Carroll, L.J., Cassidy, J.D., Peloso, P.M. et al. Methods for the Best Evidence Synthesis on Neck Pain and Its Associated Disorders. Eur Spine J 17 (Suppl 1), 33–38 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-008-0623-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-008-0623-z

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