Interobserver Reliability of the Turkish Translation of Timed Tests in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

Introduction: Longitudinal assessments of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) include timed function tests. Although time is the important end point of these tests, subdimension classifications are also important for definite evaluation. We aimed to investigate the reliability of a Turkish-language version of the timed test (including timed supine to standing position, four-stair climb and descent, and 10-meter run/walk tests). Materials and Methods: Twenty children were included in the study. Two specialists (with at least 10 years’ experience, one a pediatric neurologist, the other a physiotherapist) translated the text. After taking videos recordings of the 20 patients, three observers (two physiotherapists and one pediatric neurologist) rated the tests from the videos in an independent manner. Reliability analysis was subsequently were performed for each timed test its subdimensions. Each observer evaluated a total of 24 subdimensions. Results: The patients’ mean age was 8.00 ±4.29 years. Mean time from a supine to standing position was 5.95 ±4.57 seconds, the mean 10 meter run/walk time was 9.60±4.72 seconds, the mean four-stairs stairs climb time was 6.90±5.76 seconds, and the mean four-stairs descent time was 5.25±3.09 seconds. The observers’ interclass correlation coefficient (ICC) values were 0.984 (95% CI: 0.967-0.993) in the supine to standing position test, 0.963 (95% CI: 0.922-0.984) in the 10-meter run/walk test, 0.986 in the four-stairs climb test (95% CI: 0.971-0.994), and 0.972 (95% CI: 0.941-0.988) in the four-stairs descent test. All tests and their subdimensions exhibited excellent agreement. Conclusion: The Turkish translation of the timed tests is reliable in patients with DMD.
Keywords: Interobserver Reliability, Turkish Translation, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy