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Abstract
Objective: The Tufts Quantitative Neuromuscular Exam (TQNE) is commonly used to assess the rate
of disease progression in individuals with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The
Medical Outcome Study Short Form (SF-36) is a general method to assess health-related
quality of life (HRQL). This study examined the relationship between the TQNE and
SF-36, established the reliability and responsiveness of each, and contrasted the
HRQL between individuals with ALS and the general population.
Design: Subjects (31) completed the SF-36 and TQNE within 1 week to determine reliability.
Subjects (17) also completed both the TQNE and SF-36 each month for 1 year after diagnosis
of ALS to establish the relationship between the two assessment tools.
Setting: A primary care university teaching hospital.
Patients: Thirty-one subjects with an age range of 27 to 76 years (mean 59.1, SD 10.32), recently
diagnosed with ALS.
Results: Each test was highly reliable and responsive. The intraclass correlations (2, 1)
were consistently higher for the TQNE (.93 to .98) than for the SF-36 (.57 to .90).
Changes in physical function were correlated to changes in lower extremity force megascores
(.48).
Conclusion: Both the TQNE and the SF-36 are reliable and responsive and appear important in characterization
of patient status after ALS is diagnosed.
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
January 13,
1998
Received:
October 29,
1997
Footnotes
☆Supported in part by the University of Iowa Physical Therapy Clinical Research Center, which was originally funded by the Foundation for Physical Therapy, Inc., and by a Geriatric Center grant from the National Institutes of Health.
☆☆No commercial party having a direct financial interest in the results of the research supporting this article has or will confer a benefit upon the authors or upon any organization with which the authors are associated.
Identification
Copyright
© 1998 Published by Elsevier Inc.
