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Upper extremity function in hemiplegia. A cross-validation study of two assessment methods
Scandinavian Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine
|January 1, 1986
Summary
Two stroke upper extremity function assessment methods by DeSouza et al. and Fugl-Meyer et al. show high cross-validity. Both are reliable, valid, and efficient for clinical use in hemiparetic patients.
Area of Science:
- Neurorehabilitation
- Clinical Assessment
- Stroke Recovery
Background:
- Accurate assessment of upper extremity function is crucial for stroke rehabilitation planning and outcome evaluation.
- Several methods exist to quantify motor deficits after stroke, but their comparative validity and reliability require ongoing investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the descriptive power of the DeSouza et al. and Fugl-Meyer et al. methods for assessing upper extremity function in stroke patients.
- To evaluate the cross-validity, external validity, and inter-rater reliability of these two common assessment tools.
Main Methods:
- Parallel assessments were conducted on 50 consecutive patients with hemiparetic stroke.
- The DeSouza et al. and Fugl-Meyer et al. upper extremity function scales were applied to each patient.
Main Results:
- A very close positive association was found between the scores obtained from both methods, indicating high cross-validity.
- Both assessment methods demonstrated good inter-rater reliability and external validity.
Conclusions:
- The DeSouza et al. and Fugl-Meyer et al. methods for describing upper extremity function after stroke possess approximately equal descriptive power.
- Both methods are clinically efficient, with assessments rarely exceeding 10 minutes, making them suitable for routine use in hemiplegic or hemiparetic patients.