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The Multiple Sclerosis Performance Test (MSPT): An iPad-Based Disability Assessment Tool
Published on: June 30, 2014
The timed up and go obstacle test in people with multiple sclerosis: a reliability and validity study
Ahmet Onur Keskin1, Çağrı Gülşen2, Elvan Özcan Gülşen3
1Department of Neurology, Eskişehir City Hospital, University of Health Sciences, Eskişehir, Turkiye.
Objective:
The aim of the study was to investigate test-retest reliability, the concurrent validity and the known-groups validity, and the cut-off times of the Timed Up and Go Obstacle Test (TUGO) in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS).
Method:
30 PwMS and 30 controls were included. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and the minimal detectable change (MDC) were determined for reliability. Correlations between the TUGO times and the Expanded Disability Status Scale, the Timed Up and Go Test, the Timed 25-Foot Walk Test, Dynamic Gait Index, and the Falls Efficacy Scale-International were used to assess validity. TUGO times were compared between PwMS and controls, and between fallers and non-fallers with MS.
Results:
The TUGO completion times for 0 cm, 5 cm, and 17 cm obstacles demonstrated excellent test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.980, 0.972, and 0.967 respectively). The MDC95 values of TUGO were calculated as 2.80 s for 0 cm, 3.38 s for 5 cm, and 4.28 s for 17 cm obstacles. The TUGO completion times demonstrated moderate to strong correlations with other measurements (correlation coefficients ranging from -0.891 to 0.907; p < 0.001 for all). All TUGO completion times of PwMS were higher than controls (p < 0.001 for all) and all TUGO completion times of fallers with MS were also higher than non-fallers with MS (p = 0.017, p = 0.007, and p = 0.005 respectively).
Conclusion:
TUGO is a reliable, valid, low-cost and easy-to-administer clinical assessment tool in evaluating the obstacle negotiation ability of PwMS.
