title: Reliability of the 12-step ascend and descend test and its correlation with motor function in people with chronic stroke.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate: (i) the intra-rater, inter-rater and test-retest reliability of the 12-step stair test; (ii) its correlation with other stroke-specific impairments; and (iii) the cut-off scores that best discriminate patients with stroke from healthy elderly subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  University-based rehabilitation centre.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-five subjects with chronic stroke and 29 healthy elderly subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  The 12-step ascend and descend test was administered along with the Fugl-Meyer Motor Assessment for the lower extremities (FMA-LE), hand-held dynamometer measurements of hip abductor and knee extensor muscle strength, the Five Times Sit to Stand Test (FTSTST), assessment using the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), activities-specific balance confidence scale (ABC) assessment, the 10-metre walk test, and the Timed "Up and Go" (TUG) test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 12-step ascend and descend test showed excellent intra-rater, inter-rater and test-retest reliability. The test was positively correlated with FTSTST times, gait velocity, and TUG times, and negatively correlated with FMA-LE scores and BBS scores. A test performance of 15.22 seconds or less was shown reliably to discriminate healthy elderly subjects from stroke survivors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The 12-step ascend and descend test is a reliable clinical test that is inexpensive and easy to implement, and is useful for assessing the stair-walking ability of patients with chronic stroke.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong (SAR), China. Shamay.Ng@inet.polyu.edu.hk
authors.forename: Shamay S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: Hannah H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: Kimmy M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Julia C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Ann K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: To
authors.forename: Cindy W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Yeung
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D035002:Lower Extremity; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D051346:Mobility Limitation; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology; D053580:Muscle Strength; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D020521:Stroke / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*