title: Comparing the validity of the Modified Modified Ashworth Scale (MMAS) and the Modified Tardieu Scale (MTS) in the assessment of wrist flexor spasticity in patients with stroke: protocol for a neurophysiological study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Reliable and valid tools must be used to assess spasticity in clinical practise and research settings. There is a paucity of literature regarding the validity of the Modified Modified Ashworth Scale (MMAS) and the Modified Tardieu Scale (MTS). No study, to date, has been performed to compare the validity of the MMAS and the MTS. This neurophysiological study protocol will compare the validity of the MMAS and the MTS in the assessment of poststroke wrist flexor spasticity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-two patients with stroke from the University Rehabilitation clinics will be recruited to participate in this cross-sectional, non-interventional study. All measurements will be taken in the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department of Shafa University Hospital in Tehran, Iran. First, wrist flexor spasticity will be assessed clinically using the MMAS and MTS. The tests will be applied randomly. For the MTS, the components of R1, R2, R2-R1 and quality of muscle reaction will be measured. Second, neurophysiological measures of H-reflex latency, H(max)/M(max) ratio, H(slp) and H(slp)/M(slp) ratio will be collected from the affected side. The results will be analysed using Spearman's ρ test or Pearson's correlation test to determine the validity of the MMAS and the MTS as well as to compare the validity between the MMAS and the MTS.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  The Research Council, School of Rehabilitation and the Ethics Committee of Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS) approved the study protocol.  The study results will be disseminated in peer-reviewed publications and presented at international congresses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiotherapy,  School of Rehabilitation, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran,  Iran.
authors.forename: Hamid
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Abolhasani
authors.forename: Noureddin Nakhostin
authors.initials: NN
authors.lastname: Ansari
authors.forename: Soofia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Naghdi
authors.forename: Korosh
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mansouri
authors.forename: Nastaran
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ghotbi
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hasson