Article

OBJECTIVE: To measure the intra- and interrater reliability of select
standardized clinical tests used for the assessment of patients with axial neck
pain referred for diagnostic facet joint blocks. DESIGN: Single-group,
repeated-measures study. SETTING: Tertiary interventional pain management center.
PARTICIPANTS: Consecutive patients with persistent neck pain, referred to a
tertiary interventional pain management center, were approached to participate.
Fifty-six patients consented to participate in the study. INTERVENTIONS: Subjects
underwent a standardized clinical testing protocol, performed by 2
physiotherapists, before receiving diagnostic facet joint blocks. Subjects were
examined twice by 1 assessor for the determination of the intrarater reliability
of the testing protocol, and again by a second assessor for determination of
interrater reliability. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Intraclass correlation
coefficients (ICCs), kappa coefficients, and 95% confidence intervals were
calculated to determine the intra- and interrater reliability for cervical range
of motion (ROM; 6 directions), extension-rotation (ER) test, manual spinal
examination (MSE), and palpation for paraspinal tenderness (PST) from C2 through
C7. RESULTS: For intrarater reliability, kappa coefficients ranged from .51 to
.88 for the ER test, MSE, and PST, and ICCs ranged from .91 to .97 for ROM. For
interrater reliability, kappa coefficients ranged from .74 to .96 for the ER
test, MSE, and PST, and ICCs ranged from .90 to .95 for ROM. CONCLUSIONS: The
standardized clinical tests exhibited moderate to substantial reliability in
patients with axial neck pain referred for diagnostic facet joint blocks. The
data justify the incorporation of these tests into a clinical prediction model to
screen patients before referral for diagnostic facet blocks.
CI - Copyright (c) 2013 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by
Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS