title: Comparing composite scores based on maximal voluntary isometric contraction and on semiquantitative manual motor testing in measuring limb strength in patients with ALS.
abstract: Maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) is a standardized tool for measuring disease progression in patients with ALS. After normalization, summation, and averaging, it generates composite scores (CS) ("megascores"). In a cross-sectional study, these scores were highly correlated with "average strength" composite scores based on semi-quantitative manual motor testing (SQMMT): r = 0.697 (p < 0.0001). Each 10% difference in the raw SQMMT-CS corresponds to a 0.56 difference in the MVIC-CS (95% confidence limits [CL], 0.38, 0.74). Controlling for height (a highly significant covariate, p < 0.0001), each 10% difference in SQMMT-CS corresponds to a 0.39 difference in MVIC-CS (95% CL, 0.24, 0.54).
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, CA, USA.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Armon
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ponraj
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005121:Extremities / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007537:Isometric Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged