Reviewer's comment concerning 'Predictive value of seven preoperative prognostic scoring systems for spinal metastases' (ESJO-D-08-00148R1/A. Leithner et al.)

摘要

This paper compares seven scoring systems to assess their effectiveness in predicting overall survival time in patients with spinal metastases. Sixty-nine patients were evaluated in a prospective fashion using the eight parameters that constitute these different scoring systems.The following preoperative predictive systems were assessed: Tokuhashi score; Sioutos score; Tomita score; Van der Linden score and Bauer score.The basic intention of this paper is interesting. Many scores have been evaluated in the past, but there is a lack of one clinical useful single score. In the clinical daily routine it is always necessary to use more scores with different focuses.