Validation of the NARCOMS registry: fatigue assessment.
Participants in the North American Research Committee on Multiple Sclerosis (NARCOMS) Registry report disability using Performance Scales (PS), which assess eight domains. We aimed to validate the PS fatigue subscale (PSF) using the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) and the Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS) as external criteria. We measured correlations between the PSF and age, disease duration and PS subscales to assess construct validity. The PSF correlated strongly with the MFIS (r =0.72, P <0.0001) and FSS (r =0.75, P <0.0001). Correlations between the PSF and age, disease duration were low, indicating divergent validity. Correlations between the PSF and spasticity, sensory and mobility PS scales were moderate, indicating convergent validity. The PSF has adequate criterion and construct validity in MS.
Marrie
Ruth Ann
RA
Mellen Center for MS Treatment and Research, U10, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA. marrier@ccf.org
Cutter
Gary
G
Tyry
Tuula
T
Hadjimichael
Olympia
O
Campagnolo
Denise
D
Vollmer
Timothy
T
D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005221:Fatigue / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009656:North America / Q000453:epidemiology; D012042:Registries / Q000592:standards*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires