Yesim Kurtais

Psychometric properties of the Rivermead Motor Assessment: its utility in stroke.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the psychometric properties of the Rivermead Motor Assessment by Rasch analysis and conventional statistics to improve its clinical utility. METHODS A total of 107 patients after stroke were evaluated using the Rivermead Motor Assessment and Functional Independence Measure (FIM). Scaling properties were assessed using Mokken scaling, internal construct validity using Rasch analysis, reliability using Cronbachs alpha and intra-class correlation coefficients, external construct validity through convergent validity with FIM, and responsiveness using the effect size and standardized response mean. RESULTS Cronbachs alpha and intra-class correlation coefficients for 3 sections of the Rivermead Motor Assessment were between 0.88 and 0.95. Mokken scaling showed appropriate Guttman patterns, but the hierarchical ordering of the items differed from that of the original. After removing 4 items of gross function, 1 of leg-trunk, and 4 of arm, all sections met Rasch model expectations. External construct validity was confirmed. Mean values of effect size and standardized response were 0.38-0.51 and 0.60-0.89, respectively. CONCLUSION The Rivermead Motor Assessment has been shown to be reliable and responsive. Guttman scaling is apparent, but not as originally defined. After removing some items, the scale satisfies the most stringent Rasch measurement criteria and can produce interval scaling for the assessment of motor function in stroke.

Exercise and cognitive-behavioural treatment in fibromyalgia syndrome.

Fibromyalgia syndrome is a nonarticular rheumatic disorder characterised by diffuse musculoskeletal pain, stiffness, fatigue, disturbed sleep and tender points. The pathophysiology is not well understood and treatment remains a challenge. Although pharmacological therapy is still the primary treatment choice, a long-term effective intervention has not been demonstrated yet. Thus, besides pharmacotherapy, other multimodal interventions are often used. Exercise and cognitive-behavioural treatments which exist in the multimodal approach and encompass largely self-managed strategy, are reviewed in this article. Although, there is a great number of exercise studies, the large diversity of outcome measures and measurement instruments that have been used in studies, varying intensity and types of exercises, small sample sizes, high attrition rates, large variability in baseline function, symptom severity and psychosocial status limit to come to a conclusion about the efficacy of exercise in the treatment of fibromyalgia syndrome. There are also inconclusive results about the efficacy of cognitive-behavioural treatment because of limited number of studies with small sample sizes of patients with fibromyalgia syndrome. However, the results of the trials overall demonstrate the beneficial effects of both different types of exercise and cognitive-behavioural treatment, on the other hand, there is still a need for larger, more systematic and randomised controlled trials to evaluate the effectiveness.

Is there an association between mastalgia and fibromyalgia? Comparing prevalence and symptom severity.

To determine the prevalence of mastalgia in patients with fibromyalgia (FM) and the prevalence of FM in patients with mastalgia in order to investigate coexistence, and to compare the pain patterns in the case of mastalgia or FM alone versus the two in combination. Fifty consecutive patients with mastalgia and 50 consecutive patients with FM were assessed and examined both for the existence and severity of mastalgia and FM. A high proportion of patients with mastalgia (36%) fulfilled the criteria for FM and 42% had mastalgia in the FM group. Two distinctive entities mastalgia and FM, being both unexplained pain syndromes, seem to frequently coexist. Patients with mastalgia or FM should be thoroughly questioned considering each of the diseases so that in case of coexistence an appropriate therapy might be implemented for a successful pain management.

The Utility of Faces Pain Scale in a Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain Model

OBJECTIVES The main aim of this study was to investigate the clinical utility and sensitivity to change of faces pain scale (FPS) in patients with shoulder pain, chosen as a chronic pain model. The secondary aim was to determine the association of FPS with psychologic status and quality of life of these patients. METHODS Thirty Turkish patients with chronic shoulder pain were included in the study. Pain intensity was evaluated by visual analog scale (VAS), which is a commonly used pain scale besides FPS. Depression and quality of life were screened by Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Short Form-36 (SF-36). All assessments were done before and after the physical therapy. RESULTS There was a statistically significant decrease in pain severity after the treatment as indicated by FPS and VAS (P=0.000). The standardized response mean (SRM) value of FPS of 2.35 was accepted as a good responsiveness. The FPS showed a strong correlation with VAS (r=0.62 and 0.73) both before and after the treatment. Also, moderate to strong correlations were detected between the FPS and physical functioning (PF), physical role (PR), bodily pain (BP), emotional role (ER), general health (GH), mental health (MH) subscales of SF-36 (r=-0.58-0.80), and BDI scores (r=0.39) before the treatment. However, there were moderate and weak correlations with FPS and PR and social functioning (SF) subscales of SF-36 only after the treatment (r=-0.52 and r=-0.39). CONCLUSIONS FPS is a satisfactory tool to assess pain in patients with chronic pain conditions and demonstrates sensitivity to detect changes after the treatment.

2017 update of the Turkish League Against Rheumatism (TLAR) evidence-based recommendations for the management of knee osteoarthritis

In a Turkish League Against Rheumatism (TLAR) project, evidence-based recommendations for the management of knee osteoarthritis (OA) was developed for the first time in our country in 2012 (TLAR-2012). In accordance with developing medical knowledge and scientific evidence, recommendations were updated. The committee was composed of 22 physical medicine and rehabilitation specialists (4 have rheumatology subspeciality also) and an orthopaedic surgeon. Systematic literature search were applied on Pubmed, Embase, Cochrane and Turkish Medical Index for the dates between January the 1st 2012 and January the 29th of 2015. The articles were assessed for quality and classified according to hierarchy for the level of evidence, and the selected ones sent to committee members electronically. They were asked to develop new recommendations. In the meeting in 2015, the format of the recommendations was decided to be patient-based and considering the grade and the severity of the disease. By the discussion of the each item under the light of new evidences, the final recommendations were developed. Each item was voted electronically on a 10-cm visual analogue scale (VAS) and the strength of recommendation (SoR) was calculated. In the light of evidences, totally 11 titles of recommendations were developed; the first 7 were applicable to each patient in every stages of the disease, remaining were for defined specific clinical situations. The mean SoR value of the recommendations was between 7.44 and 9.93. TLAR-2012 recommendations were updated in a new format. We think that, present recommendations will be beneficial for the physicians who manage, as well as the patients who suffer from the disease.

Reliability, Construct Validity and Measurement Potential of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Comprehensive Core Set for Chronic Widespread Pain

Abstract Objectives: To investigate the reliability and construct validity of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health [ICF] Comprehensive Core Set for Chronic Widespread Pain [CWP] in order to test its possible use as a measuring tool for functioning. Methods: Patient participants with CWP were assessed by the ICF Comprehensive Core Set for CWP, the Short Form-36 Health Survey [SF-36] and the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire [FIQ]. The internal construct validity of the “Body Functions” [BF], “Activity” [A], “Participation” [P] and “Environmental Factors” [EF] domains were tested by Rasch analysis; the reliability by internal consistency and the Person Separation Index; and external construct validity by association with the SF-36 and FIQ. Results: One hundred patients with fibromyalgia syndrome [FMS] were recruited for this study in Ankara, Turkey. Most were literate in Turkish and were able to complete the SF-36 and FIQ unassisted but some were illiterate, so the instruments were read to them by an investigator. In each scale, items showing disordered thresholds were rescored, testlets were created to overcome local dependency problems, and items mismatched to the Rasch model were deleted. Then the internal construct validity of the BF, A, P and EF scales were good, indicating a single underlying construct for each scale. The scales were free of differential item functioning. Reliabilities of the scales were adequate [Cronbach’s alphas 0.78–0.86, Person Separation Index’s 0.68–0.82]. The BF, A and P showed moderate correlations with the SF-36 and FIQ, whereas the EF scale had statistically significant but weak correlation only with SF-36 Social Functioning. Conclusion: Since the four scales derived from BF, A, P and EF components of the ICF core set for CWP were shown to be reliable and valid through Rasch analysis and classical psychometric methods, these might be used as clinical assessment tools.