title: Interrater and intrarater reliability of the Semmes Weinstein aesthesiometer to assess touch pressure threshold in burn scars.
abstract: Burn scars are frequently accompanied with sensory deficits often remaining present months or even years after injury. Clinimetric properties of assessment tools remain understudied within burn literature. Tactile sense of touch can be examined with the touch pressure threshold (TPT) method using the Semmes Weinstein monofilament test (SWMT). There is in recent research no consensus on the exact measurement procedure when using the SWMT. The aim of this paper was to determine the interrater and intrarater reliability of TPT within burn scars and healthy controls using the 'ascending descending' measurement procedure. We used the newly developed guidelines for reporting reliability and agreement studies (GRRAS) as a basis to report this reliability study. In total 36 individuals were tested; a healthy control group and a scar group. The interrater reliability was excellent in the scar group (ICC=0.908/SEM=0.21) and fair to good in the control group (ICC=0.731/SEM=0.12). In the scar group intrarater ICC value was excellent (ICC=0.822/SEM=0.33). Within the control group also an excellent intrarater reliability (ICC=0.807/SEM=0.27) was found. In conclusion this study shows that the SWMT with the 'ascending descending' measurement procedure is a feasible and reliable objective measure to evaluate TPT in (older) upper extremities burn scars as well as in healthy skin.
authors.affiliation: University of Antwerp, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy, Antwerp, Belgium; Oscare, Organisation for Burns, Scar After-Care and Research, Antwerp, Belgium. Electronic address: Jill.meirte@uantwerpen.be.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Meirte
authors.affiliation: Oscare, Organisation for Burns, Scar After-Care and Research, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Moortgat
authors.affiliation: University of Antwerp, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Truijen
authors.affiliation: Oscare, Organisation for Burns, Scar After-Care and Research, Antwerp, Belgium; Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Department of Clinical and Lifespan Psychology, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Maertens
authors.affiliation: Oscare, Organisation for Burns, Scar After-Care and Research, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lafaire
authors.affiliation: Oscare, Organisation for Burns, Scar After-Care and Research, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: De Cuyper
authors.affiliation: University of Antwerp, Department of Antwerp Surgical Training Anatomy and Research Centre, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hubens
authors.affiliation: University of Antwerp, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Van Daele
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002056:Burns / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006987:Hypesthesia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D011312:Pressure; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012684:Sensory Thresholds / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Burn; Objective measurement; Reliability; Tactile sensation; Touch pressure threshold