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Development and validation of the Korean version of the Modified Japanese Orthopedic Association Score: a prospective
Seungmin Lee1, Chang Ju Hwang2, Jae Hwan Cho2
1Ewha Womans University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Study Design:
A prospective questionnaire-based study.
Purpose:
This study aimed to translate, adapt, and validate the Korean version of the modified Japanese Orthopedic Association (mJOA) score.
Overview Of Literature:
The mJOA score is considered one of the most commonly used instruments for assessing the functional status of patients with cervical myelopathy. However, a Korean version of the mJOA score has not yet been developed, limiting its standardized assessment in Korean-speaking populations.
Methods:
This prospective, questionnaire-based study adhered to established cross-cultural adaptation guidelines to translate the mJOA score into Korean. One hundred and twenty-two native Korean-speaking patients with cervical myelopathy recruited from a spine outpatient clinic were administered the final version. Test-retest reliability and internal consistency were assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Cronbach's alpha. Item-level analyses included the mean, standard deviation, and floor and ceiling effects. Construct validity was assessed by analyzing the correlations between the Korean mJOA scores and other patient-reported outcome measures, including the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and the adapted Korean version of the Neck Disability Index (AK-NDI).
Results:
This study investigated a total of 122 patients with cervical myelopathy (74 men and 48 women; mean age, 62.5±11.5 years) who completed the Korean mJOA. Internal consistency was acceptable (Cronbach's α=0.666), and test-retest reliability was moderate to excellent across most domains (ICC=0.478-0.896). The total mJOA score also showed a moderate negative correlation with the AK-NDI (r =-0.497, p <0.001) and a weak negative correlation with the arm pain VAS (r =-0.339, p =0.003).
Conclusions:
This study successfully developed and validated the Korean version of the mJOA score, making it a reliable tool for assessing functional impairment in Korean-speaking patients with cervical myelopathy. Its clinical and research use could standardize patient assessments and improve the management of cervical myelopathy in Korea.