Isabelle Lessard1, Bernard Brais2, Isabelle Côté3, Caroline Lavoie3, Matthis Synofzik4, Jean Mathieu3, Cynthia Gagnon5. 1. Centre de recherche Charles-Le-Moyne-Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean sur les innovations en santé, Faculté de médecine et des sciences de la santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada; Groupe de recherche interdisciplinaire sur les maladies neuromusculaires (GRIMN), Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux du Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean, Québec, Canada. 2. Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Québec, Canada. 3. Groupe de recherche interdisciplinaire sur les maladies neuromusculaires (GRIMN), Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux du Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean, Québec, Canada. 4. Department of Neurodegeneration, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research (HIH), University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Tübingen, Germany. 5. Centre de recherche Charles-Le-Moyne-Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean sur les innovations en santé, Faculté de médecine et des sciences de la santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada; Groupe de recherche interdisciplinaire sur les maladies neuromusculaires (GRIMN), Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux du Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean, Québec, Canada. Electronic address: cynthia.gagnon4@usherbrooke.ca.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To assess the construct validity of the 10-Meter Walk Test (10mWT), Six-Minute Walk Test (6MWT), Berg Balance Scale (BERG), and Timed Up and Go (TUG) in adults with Autosomal Recessive Spastic Ataxia of Charlevoix-Saguenay (ARSACS), in addition to the interrater reliability of the 10mWT and 6MWT. METHODS: Reliability was determined using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Validity was determined first by correlating the 10mWT, 6MWT, BERG, and TUG with participant's age, lower limb coordination, and disease severity, and then by assessing their capacity to distinguish between participants based on sex and disease stages. RESULTS: Interrater reliability of the 10mWT at both comfortable and maximum speed as well as the 6MWT is excellent (ICC = 0.97-0.99). Construct validity of the four tests was confirmed, as showed by the high correlations with age, lower limb coordination, and overall disease severity (ρ = 0.64-0.97). CONCLUSIONS: The four tests assessed for their metrological properties in this study showed to be valid instruments to use in the ARSACS population. The 10mWT and 6MWT are also highly reliable. BERG and TUG reliability will need to be assess in a future study.
OBJECTIVE: To assess the construct validity of the 10-Meter Walk Test (10mWT), Six-Minute Walk Test (6MWT), Berg Balance Scale (BERG), and Timed Up and Go (TUG) in adults with Autosomal Recessive Spastic Ataxia of Charlevoix-Saguenay (ARSACS), in addition to the interrater reliability of the 10mWT and 6MWT. METHODS: Reliability was determined using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Validity was determined first by correlating the 10mWT, 6MWT, BERG, and TUG with participant's age, lower limb coordination, and disease severity, and then by assessing their capacity to distinguish between participants based on sex and disease stages. RESULTS: Interrater reliability of the 10mWT at both comfortable and maximum speed as well as the 6MWT is excellent (ICC = 0.97-0.99). Construct validity of the four tests was confirmed, as showed by the high correlations with age, lower limb coordination, and overall disease severity (ρ = 0.64-0.97). CONCLUSIONS: The four tests assessed for their metrological properties in this study showed to be valid instruments to use in the ARSACS population. The 10mWT and 6MWT are also highly reliable. BERG and TUG reliability will need to be assess in a future study.