Document Detail


Reliability and validity of the Medical Research Council (MRC) scale and a modified scale for testing muscle strength in patients with radial palsy.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  19020701     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
OBJECTIVE: To assess the inter-rater and intra-rater reliability and validity of the original and a modified Medical Research Council scale for testing muscle strength in radial palsy. DESIGN: Prospective, randomized validation study. PATIENTS: Thirty-one patients with peripheral paresis of radial innervated forearm muscles were included. METHODS: Wrist extension, finger extension and grip strength were evaluated by manual muscle testing. Dynamometric measurement of grip strength was performed. Pair-wise weighted kappa coefficients were calculated to determine inter-rater and intra-rater reliability. The 2 scores were compared using the signed-rank test. Spearman's correlation coefficients of the maximal relative force measurements with the median (over-raters) Medical Research Council and modified Medical Research Council scores were calculated to determine validity. RESULTS: Inter-rater agreement of the Medical Research Council scale (finger extension: 0.77; wrist extension: 0.78; grip strength: 0.78) and the modified Medical Research Council scale (finger extension: 0.81; wrist extension: 0.78; grip strength: 0.81) as well as intra-rater agreement of the Medical Research Council scale (finger extension: 0.86; wrist extension: 0.82; grip strength: 0.84) and the modified Medical Research Council scale (finger extension: 0.84, wrist extension: 0.81; grip strength: 0.88) showed almost perfect agreement. Spearman's correlation coefficients of the maximal relative force measurements with the median Medical Research Council and modified Medical Research Council score were both 0.78. CONCLUSION: Medical Research Council and modified Medical Research Council scales are measurements with substantial inter-rater and intra-rater reliability in evaluating forearm muscles.
Authors:
Tatjana Paternostro-Sluga; Martina Grim-Stieger; Martin Posch; Othmar Schuhfried; Gerda Vacariu; Christian Mittermaier; Christian Bittner; Veronika Fialka-Moser
Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Randomized Controlled Trial    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Journal of rehabilitation medicine : official journal of the UEMS European Board of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine     Volume:  40     ISSN:  1651-2081     ISO Abbreviation:  J Rehabil Med     Publication Date:  2008 Aug 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2008-11-21     Completed Date:  2008-12-01     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  101088169     Medline TA:  J Rehabil Med     Country:  Sweden    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  665-71     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Medical University of Vienna, Austria. tatjana.paternostro-sluga@akhwien.at
Export Citation:
APA/MLA Format     Download EndNote     Download BibTex
MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Adult
Aged
Female
Hand Strength / physiology
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Muscle Strength / physiology*
Muscle Weakness / physiopathology*,  rehabilitation
Observer Variation
Prospective Studies
Radial Neuropathy / physiopathology*,  rehabilitation
Reproducibility of Results

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


Previous Document:  Perceived participation in life situations in persons with late effects of polio.
Next Document:  The combination of a smoking cessation programme with rehabilitation increases stop-smoking rate.