title: Reliability of the North Star Ambulatory Assessment in a multicentric setting.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the suitability of the North Star Ambulatory Assessment as a possible outcome measure in multicentric clinical trials. More specifically we wished to investigate the level of training needed for achieving a good interobserver reliability in a multicentric setting. The scale was specifically designed for ambulant children with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and includes 17 items that are relevant for this cohort. Thirteen Italian centers participated in the study. In the first phase of the study we provided two training videos and an example of the scale performed on a child. After the first session of training, all the 13 examiners were asked to send a video with an assessment performed in their centre and to score all the videos collected. There were no difficulties in performing the items and in obtaining adequate videos with a hand held camera but the results showed a poor interobserver reliability (<.5). After a second training session with review and discussion of the videos previously scored, the same examiners were asked to score three new videos. The results of this session had an excellent interobserver reliability (.995). The level of agreement was maintained even when the same videos were rescored after a month, showing a significant intra-observer reliability (.95). Our results suggest that the NSAA is a test that can be easily performed, completed in 10 min and can be used in a multicentric setting, providing that adequate training is administered.
authors: Department of Paediatric Neurology, Catholic University, Rome, Italy.
authors: E S
authors: ES
authors: Mazzone
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Messina
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Vasco
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Main
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Eagle
authors: A
authors: A
authors: D'Amico
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Doglio
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Politano
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Cavallaro
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Frosini
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Bello
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Magri
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Corlatti
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Zucchini
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Brancalion
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Rossi
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Ferretti
authors: M G
authors: MG
authors: Motta
authors: M R
authors: MR
authors: Cecio
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Berardinelli
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Alfieri
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Mongini
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Pini
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Astrea
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Battini
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Comi
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Pegoraro
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Morandi
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Pane
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Angelini
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Bruno
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Villanova
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Vita
authors: M A
authors: MA
authors: Donati
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Bertini
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Mercuri
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods; D017079:Exercise Tolerance / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D007866:Leg / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D051346:Mobility Limitation; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000503:physiopathology; D020388:Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D015588:Observer Variation; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014741:Video Recording; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*