title: Interobserver reliability of the Amsterdam Severity Scale in Stenosing Tenosynovitis (ASSiST).
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Jan van Breemen Institute, Center for Rheumatology and Rehabilitation, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. w.peter@janvanbreemen.nl
authors.forename: Wilfred F H
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Peter
authors.forename: Martijn P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Steultjens
authors.forename: Tamara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mesman
authors.forename: Joost
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dekker
authors.forename: Agnes F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Hoeksma
mesh_terms: 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*