What to call spinal cord damage not due to trauma? Implications for literature searching

Abstract

Objectives: To illustrate the importance of multiple search terms and databases when searching publications on spinal cord damage not due to trauma. Conclusions: Concise searches using terms 'non-traumatic spinal cord injury' and 'nontraumatic spinal cord injury' fail to identify relevant articles unless combinations of terms and databases are used. These are inadequate search terms for a comprehensive search. Further research is needed to validate our comprehensive search filter. An international consensus process is required to establish an agreed term for 'spinal cord damage not due to trauma.' Keywords: Information storage and retrieval, Spinal cord diseases, Spinal cord injury, Systematized nomenclature of medicine, TerminologyThat which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.1 Although Shakespeare's perspective on names can be generalized to healthcare, there is a compromise when multiple non-standard terms are used to describe the same entity. In relation to spinal cord medicine, for example, evidence suggests that all patients with spinal cord damage, irrespective of their etiology (i.e. 'the name'), should be able to access specialist rehabilitation services without bias or discrimination. 2,3However, patients with spinal cord damage not due to trauma do not always have this equity of access. 2,3 In addressing this, and other research agendas involving these patients, a major compromise occurs because there is no accepted general collective term for this group of disorders. It is essential, however, in healthcare to have consistent vocabulary and definitions to facilitate discussion and knowledge transfer among planners, managers, educators, clinicians, and researchers. This is extremely important with regard to having consistent terms for searching the literature, which is a vital component of evidence-based medicine. 4 Furthermore, efficient and timely access to pertinent information is a vital part of the evidence-based healthcare process. Clinicians and health planners have an enormous challenge in dealing with the volume of published information, particularly knowing where and how to search, and how to appraise the quality of information.

Recommendations for spinal rehabilitation professionals regarding sexual education needs and preferences of people with spinal cord dysfunction: a mixed-methods study

“…6 Most studies of sexuality in people with spinal cord damage have focused on people with traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI). There is no internationally accepted term for the group of conditions that can cause non-traumatic spinal cord damage; 7 hence, the term spinal cord dysfunction (SCDys) will be used to describe these conditions throughout this paper. Although some studies of sexuality have included people with non-traumatic SCDys, 8 until recently no studies had been published that report specifically on the sexual changes in people with SCDys.…”

Review of the History of Non-traumatic Spinal Cord Dysfunction

“…The terms used in the literature search were the same as those used in a previously proposed gold standard comprehensive search strategy for SCDys. 6 The results of this gold standard comprehensive search were combined with the search term "history". Only publications in English were included.…”

Rehabilitation of people with spinal cord damage due to tumor: literature review, international survey and practical recommendations for optimizing their rehabilitation

“…The terms used in the literature search were based on previous recommendations 23 and shown in the appendix. In addition, the reference section of included publications and the personal library of the authors were searched for additional potentially relevant publications.…”