title: Validity and reliability of the Portuguese version of the Epilepsy Medication Treatment Complexity Index for Brazil.
abstract: We evaluated the reliability and validity of a Brazilian-Portuguese version of the Epilepsy Medication Treatment Complexity Index (EMTCI). Interrater reliability was evaluated with the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), and validity was evaluated by correlation of mean EMTCI scores with the following variables: number of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), seizure control, patients' perception of seizure control, and adherence to the therapeutic regimen as measured with the Morisky scale. We studied patients with epilepsy followed in a tertiary university-based hospital outpatient clinic setting, aged 18 years or older, independent in daily living activities, and without cognitive impairment or active psychiatric disease. ICCs ranged from 0.721 to 0.999. Mean EMTCI scores were significantly correlated with the variables assessed. Higher EMTCI scores were associated with an increasing number of AEDs, uncontrolled seizures, patients' perception of lack of seizure control, and poorer adherence to the therapeutic regimen. The results indicate that the Brazilian-Portuguese EMTCI is reliable and valid to be applied clinically in the country. The Brazilian-Portuguese EMTCI version may be a useful tool in developing strategies to minimize treatment complexity, possibly improving seizure control and quality of life in people with epilepsy in our milieu.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Hospital das Clinicas da Faculdade de Medicina de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. c-maluf@uol.com.br
authors.forename: Carla Maria Maluf
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Ferrari
authors.forename: Luiz Henrique Martins
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Castro
authors.forename: Cristina Helena Costanti
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Settervall
authors.forename: Rosimary Maria
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: de Moura
authors.forename: Pollyana Aurichio
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Coutinho
authors.forename: Iolanda Eiko Shirota
authors.initials: IE
authors.lastname: Oshiro
authors.forename: Roseane Batista
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Alves
authors.forename: Regina Marcia Cardoso
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: de Sousa
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001938:Brazil; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants