Table 2 Creation of new continuous scale variables – for each given patient, the value of the variable was the sum of the individual values of the different categorical variables, selected according to topographical criteria
New continuous variable | Components | Range of values |
|---|---|---|
General Symptoms | Cognitive deterioration+ Mood alterations + Insomnia + Fatigue | 4–11 |
Cranial Symptoms | Headache + Nausea/vomiting + Balance alterations + Dysphagia + Visual alterations + Tinnitus + Diplopia | 7–15 |
Cervical Symptoms | Cervical pain + Upper limb pain + Upper limb numbness + Upper limb motor loss | 4–8 |
Spinal Cord Symptoms | Thoracic back pain + Low back pain + Lower limb pain + Thoracic pain + Lower limb numbness + Lower limb motor loss + Paresthesias + Alterations of temperature perception + Muscular cramps + Sphincter alterations + Abnormal gait | 11–21 |
Cranial Signs | Nystagmus + Deviation of the uvula and/or tongue | 2–4 |
Medullary Signs | Alterations of temperature sensibility + Alterations of sensibility to touch + Upper limb deep tendon reflexes + Lower limb deep tendon reflexes + Abdominal reflexes + Plantar reflexes + Lasègue’s test + Mingazzini’s test+ Romberg’s test+ Grip strength | 10–25 |