Convergent validity of the Tinetti scale in subacute stroke patients

Abstract

Introduction

Clinical scales to assess balance and gait in stroke patients such as the Trunk Impairment Scale (TIS), Postural Assessment Scale for Stroke (PASS) and Functional Ambulatory Categories (FAC) have been extensively studied. However, the Tinetti scale has not yet been validated in the Spanish neurological population.

Objectives

To analyse the convergent validity of Tinetti scale in post-stroke patients in the subacute phase.

Method

A cross-sectional study was performed in a neurological rehabilitation clinic including patients who had started rehabilitation within 2 months after the stroke and were hemodynamically stable, excluding patients with psychiatric disorders. Spearman correlation coefficients were calculated to analyse the convergent validity of the Tinetti scale with the clinical assessments TIS, PASS and FAC measured at the beginning of rehabilitation.

Results

A total of 63 participants were analyzed. The average age was 63.87 ± 12.93 years and men (58.73%), ischemic stroke (69.84%), stroke located in the middle cerebral artery (44.44%) and high grade of affectation patients predominated. The convergent validity of the Tinetti scale in patients with stroke in the subacute phase at the initial assessment was significantly high with TIS (0.805) and very high with PASS (0.936) and FAC (0.927) (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

Tinetti scale is a valid instrument to assess balance and gait in subacute phase stroke patients and has an excellent convergent validity with other balance and gait clinical scales. Further investigation should be undertaken to analyse other psychometric properties.