Validity and inter-rater reliability of the Lindop Parkinson's Disease Mobility Assessment: a preliminary study.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the validity and inter-rater reliability of the Lindop Parkinson's Disease Mobility Assessment (LPA); a scale developed to gather objective information on gait and bed mobility in patients with Parkinson's disease.


METHODS
Two therapists scored a group of patients with Parkinson's disease using the motor examination section of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS-ME) and the LPA scale. The association between scores obtained using the two scales was calculated, and the scores obtained by the therapists using each scale were compared.


METHODS
A Parkinson's disease clinic in a day hospital in a district general hospital.


METHODS
Forty-nine subjects with Parkinson's disease were recruited (33 males, 16 females, mean age 75.84+/-7.16 years).


RESULTS
There was a significant association between the LPA and UPDRS-ME data for both raters (Rater A, rho -0.67; Rater B, rho -0.63; P<0.001). The limits of agreement showed that the two raters scored within two scale points of each other on 95% of occasions, and that there was no systematic bias between raters. Percentage agreement between raters ranged from 82% to 100% for the LPA. The LPA took significantly less time to complete [mean 7.7 (standard deviation 2.9) minutes] than the UPDRS-ME [mean 10.5 (standard deviation 2.2) minutes; P<0.001].


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest that the LPA is a valid measure with good inter-rater reliability. It is quick and easy to administer, and provides objective information about the gait and bed mobility of elderly patients with Parkinson's disease.
Pearson
M J T
MJ
Division of Physiotherapy Education, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK. michael.pearson@nuh.nhs.uk
Lindop
F A
FA
Mockett
S P
SP
Saunders
L
L
D000368:Aged; D001513:Beds; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D020233:Gait Disorders, Neurologic / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051346:Mobility Limitation; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results