Diagnostic accuracy: sensitivity and specificity of the ScreenAssist Lumbar Questionnaire in comparison with primary care provider tests and measures of low back pain: a pilot study.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to estimate the diagnostic accuracy of the ScreenAssist Lumbar Questionnaire (SALQ) to determine the presence of non-musculoskeletal pain or emergent musculoskeletal pain, in terms of its sensitivity and specificity, when compared with the assessment and diagnosis made by primary care providers.


METHODS
Subjects were patients presenting to a primary care physician's office with the main complaint of low back pain. SALQ data were collected within 24 hours of the appointment. A 2-month post-visit chart review was performed in order to compare scores and recommendations made by the questionnaire with the assessment and diagnosis made by the physician.


RESULTS
The SALQ demonstrated a sensitivity of 100% (95% CI = 0.445-1.0) and specificity of 92% (95% CI = 0.831-0.920). The negative likelihood ratio was 0.11 (95% CI = 0.01-1.54) and the positive likelihood ratio was 9.36 (95% CI = 2.78-32). If the SALQ was positive, the post-test probability was 0.60. If the SALQ was negative, the post-test probability was 0.017.


DISCUSSION
Results from this study suggest that the SALQ can be used as an adjunct to the subjective history taking in a physical therapy evaluation to assist in the recognition of non-musculoskeletal or emergent musculoskeletal conditions requiring referral.
['Cunningham|Shala|S|']
Low back pain Medical screening Red flags