Interobserver reliability of the Amsterdam Severity Scale in Stenosing Tenosynovitis (ASSiST).
METHODS
Interobserver reliability study.


BACKGROUND
A scale was developed to measure the severity of stenosing tenosynovitis: the Amsterdam Severity Scale in Stenosing Tenosynovitis (ASSiST).


OBJECTIVE
To study the interobserver reliability of the ASSiST.


METHODS
Patients suffering from various impairments in hand function were referred to our outpatient hand clinic. The grading of stenosing tenosynovitis was assessed independently. The observers were blinded for each other's results. The ASSiST distinguishes between a nodular and a diffuse form. The severity was graded from grades 0 to 3.


RESULTS
Kappa coefficient for the distinction between the four grades was 0.72 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.59-0.85) and for the distinction between the nodular and the diffuse forms 0.16 (95% CI 0.13-0.18).


CONCLUSIONS
The ASSiST can be used to reliably assess the severity of stenosing tenosynovitis in both nodular and diffuse forms, but it does not differentiate between these two forms.


METHODS
Not applicable.
Peter
Wilfred F H
WF
Jan van Breemen Institute, Center for Rheumatology and Rehabilitation, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. w.peter@janvanbreemen.nl
Steultjens
Martijn P
MP
Mesman
Tamara
T
Dekker
Joost
J
Hoeksma
Agnes F
AF
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006225:Hand / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D053682:Tendon Entrapment / Q000145:classification* / Q000503:physiopathology*