Reliability and equivalence of alternate forms for the Symbol Digit Modalities Test: implications for multiple sclerosis clinical trials
Reliability and equivalence of alternate forms for the Symbol Digit Modalities Test: implications for multiple sclerosis clinical trials
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DOI：
10.1177/1352458511435717
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发表时间：
2012-09-01
影响因子：
5.8
通讯作者：
Erlanger, David
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Benedict, Ralph H. B.;Smerbeck, Audrey;Erlanger, David
背景资料：认知障碍在多发性硬化症（MS）中很常见，但很少在调查疾病改善疗法效果的临床试验中进行评估。符号数字模式测试（SDMT）是一个特别有前途的工具，由于其灵敏度和强大的相关性与脑磁共振成像（MRI）和职业残疾。不幸的是，没有经过验证的替代SDMT形式，这是需要减轻实践effects.Objective：该研究的目的是评估的可靠性和等效性的SDMT替代forms.Methods：25名健康参与者完成了每一个SDMT的五个替代版本-标准形式，两个版本从饶简重复电池，和两个形式专门为这项研究设计的。顺序效应控制使用拉丁方research design.Results：所有五个版本的SDMT产生的平均值在3个原始得分点的另一个。三种形式非常一致，保守统计检验无差异。使用这些形式的SDMT重测信度为良好到优秀，所有的r值超过0.80。结论：我们第一次找到了很好的证据，至少三个替代版本的SDMT是相同的难度在健康成人。这些表格是可靠的，可以在强调认知结果的临床试验中实施。
Background: Cognitive impairment is common in multiple sclerosis (MS), but is seldom assessed in clinical trials investigating the effects of disease-modifying therapies. The Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) is a particularly promising tool due to its sensitivity and robust correlation with brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and vocational disability. Unfortunately, there are no validated alternate SDMT forms, which are needed to mitigate practice effects.Objective: The aim of the study was to assess the reliability and equivalence of SDMT alternate forms.Methods: Twenty-five healthy participants completed each of five alternate versions of the SDMT - the standard form, two versions from the Rao Brief Repeatable Battery, and two forms specifically designed for this study. Order effects were controlled using a Latin-square research design.Results: All five versions of the SDMT produced mean values within 3 raw score points of one another. Three forms were very consistent, and not different by conservative statistical tests. The SDMT test-retest reliability using these forms was good to excellent, with all r values exceeding 0.80.Conclusions: For the first time, we find good evidence that at least three alternate versions of the SDMT are of equivalent difficulty in healthy adults. The forms are reliable, and can be implemented in clinical trials emphasizing cognitive outcomes.