[Stroke-specific quality of life scale (ECVI-38): an evaluation of its acceptance, reliability and validity]

Health-related quality of life (HRQL) is currently essential in the evaluation of stroke-related clinical trials. Existing stroke-specific scales were developed in English-speaking countries and most of them do not satisfy the necessary standards of validity. In consequence, the first Spanish-language scale for evaluating the quality of life (QL) of stroke survivors was developed (ECVI-38). In this work the psychometric properties of this summary measure were assessed.

A group of 63 stroke patients were studied, between 2 months and 2 years after the event, to evaluate the acceptability, reliability and validity of the ECVI-38, using standardised psychometric methods.

The ECVI-38 proved to have an important degree of acceptability; only three elements showed a high percentage of data loss due to the age of the patients in the sample; the floor and ceiling effects were within the accepted limits. The scale displayed good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha 0.79-0.97, correlations between elements 0.53-0.90) and good stability in the test-retest trial (intraclass correlation coefficients 0.89-0.98). As regards its construct validity (total correlations among correct domains, convergent r = 0.57-0.90, discriminating r = 0.19-0.39), the results were very good, as were the findings of the studies of validity vs. external criteria (difference between groups with a known neurological status, and convergence validity).

The ECVI-38 is a measure that is acceptable, reliable and valid for evaluating QL in patients who have had a stroke. Further tests are needed to evaluate its sensitivity and to explore its value in both clinical and research practice.