TY - JOUR
T1 - Scale for the assessment and rating of ataxia
T2 - Development of a new clinical scale
AU - Schmitz-Hübsch, T
AU - du Montcel, S Tezenas
AU - Baliko, L
AU - Berciano, J
AU - Boesch, S
AU - Depondt, C
AU - Giunti, P
AU - Globas, C
AU - Infante, J
AU - Kang, J-S
AU - Kremer, B
AU - Mariotti, C
AU - Melegh, B
AU - Pandolfo, M
AU - Rakowicz, M
AU - Ribai, P
AU - Rola, R
AU - Schöls, L
AU - Szymanski, S
AU - van de Warrenburg, B P
AU - Dürr, A
AU - Klockgether, T
AU - Fancellu, Roberto
PY - 2006/6/13
Y1 - 2006/6/13
N2 - OBJECTIVE: To develop a reliable and valid clinical scale measuring the severity of ataxia.METHODS: The authors devised the Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia (SARA) and tested it in two trials of 167 and 119 patients with spinocerebellar ataxia.RESULTS: The mean time to administer SARA in patients was 14.2 +/- 7.5 minutes (range 5 to 40). Interrater reliability was high, with an intraclass coefficient (ICC) of 0.98. Test-retest reliability was high with an ICC of 0.90. Internal consistency was high as indicated by Cronbach's alpha of 0.94. Factorial analysis revealed that the rating results were determined by a single factor. SARA ratings showed a linear relation to global assessments using a visual analogue scale, suggesting linearity of the scale (p < 0.0001, r(2) = 0.98). SARA score increased with the disease stage (p < 0.001) and was closely correlated with the Barthel Index (r = -0.80, p < 0.001) and part IV (functional assessment) of the Unified Huntington's Disease Rating Scale (UHDRS-IV) (r = -0.89, p < 0.0001), whereas it had only a weak correlation with disease duration (r = 0.34, p < 0.0002).CONCLUSIONS: The Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia is a reliable and valid measure of ataxia, making it an appropriate primary outcome measure for clinical trials.
AB - OBJECTIVE: To develop a reliable and valid clinical scale measuring the severity of ataxia.METHODS: The authors devised the Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia (SARA) and tested it in two trials of 167 and 119 patients with spinocerebellar ataxia.RESULTS: The mean time to administer SARA in patients was 14.2 +/- 7.5 minutes (range 5 to 40). Interrater reliability was high, with an intraclass coefficient (ICC) of 0.98. Test-retest reliability was high with an ICC of 0.90. Internal consistency was high as indicated by Cronbach's alpha of 0.94. Factorial analysis revealed that the rating results were determined by a single factor. SARA ratings showed a linear relation to global assessments using a visual analogue scale, suggesting linearity of the scale (p < 0.0001, r(2) = 0.98). SARA score increased with the disease stage (p < 0.001) and was closely correlated with the Barthel Index (r = -0.80, p < 0.001) and part IV (functional assessment) of the Unified Huntington's Disease Rating Scale (UHDRS-IV) (r = -0.89, p < 0.0001), whereas it had only a weak correlation with disease duration (r = 0.34, p < 0.0002).CONCLUSIONS: The Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia is a reliable and valid measure of ataxia, making it an appropriate primary outcome measure for clinical trials.
KW - Adolescent
KW - Adult
KW - Aged
KW - Aged, 80 and over
KW - Female
KW - Health Status Indicators
KW - Humans
KW - Male
KW - Middle Aged
KW - Neurologic Examination
KW - Outcome Assessment (Health Care)
KW - Reproducibility of Results
KW - Sensitivity and Specificity
KW - Severity of Illness Index
KW - Spinocerebellar Ataxias
KW - Journal Article
KW - Randomized Controlled Trial
KW - Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
U2 - 10.1212/01.wnl.0000219042.60538.92
DO - 10.1212/01.wnl.0000219042.60538.92
M3 - Article
C2 - 16769946
SN - 0028-3878
VL - 66
SP - 1717
EP - 1720
JO - Neurology
JF - Neurology
IS - 11
ER -