Article

PURPOSE: To examine the intra- and inter-rater reliability, criterion validity
and responsiveness of the Utrecht Arm/hand Test (UAT), a quick and easy
assessment method for upper extremity impairment after stroke. METHOD: Study 1
(N= 29): Repeated administration of the UAT at admission and discharge;
comparison with scores on the Fugl-Meyer test (FM), Action Research Arm test
(ARA) and Self-Care scale of the Functional Independence Measure (FIM). Study 2
(N = 192): Admission of the UAT and Frenchay Arm Test at admission (FAT) and
discharge. Computation of Spearman correlations between UAT and FAT and
comparison of the Effect Size and the Standardised Response Mean of both
measures. RESULTS: Study 1: Spearman correlations between UAT and FM were 0.93 at
admission and 0.94 at discharge. Correlations with ARA and FIM were also high:
0.90 and 0.76 at admission, and 0.89 and 0.73 at discharge. Inter-rater and
intra-rater reliability were excellent (weighted kappa 0.98-0.99). Study 2:
Correlations between UAT and FAT were 0.93 at admission and 0.90 at discharge.
The mean UAT score improved from 3.7 at admission up to 4.6 at discharge (p <
0.001). The Effect Size and Standardised Response Mean of the UAT were better
than those of the FAT. CONCLUSION: The UAT is a simple, valid and reliable
bedside test for the evaluation of upper extremity impairment after stroke.

Langue : ANGLAIS