Article

The Balance Evaluation Systems Test (BESTest) is a new clinical
balance assessment tool, but it has never been validated in patients with
subacute stroke. The purpose of this study was to examine the
reliability and validity of the BESTest in patients with subacute stroke. DESIGN:
This was an observational reliability and validity study. METHODS: Twelve
patients participated in the interrater and intrarater reliability study.
Convergent validity was investigated in 70 patients using the Berg Balance Scale
(BBS), Postural Assessment Scale for Stroke (PASS), Community Balance and
Mobility Scale (CB&M), and Mini-BESTest. The receiver operating characteristic
curve was used to calculate the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the
BESTest, Mini-BESTest, and BBS in classifying participants into low functional
ability (LFA) and high functional ability (HFA) groups based on Fugl-Meyer
Assessment motor subscale scores. RESULTS: The BESTest showed excellent
intrarater reliability and interrater reliability (intraclass correlation
coefficient=.99) and was highly correlated with the BBS (Spearman r=.96), PASS
(r=.96), CB&M (r=.91), and Mini-BESTest (r=.96), indicating excellent convergent
validity. No floor or ceiling effects were observed with the BESTest. In
contrast, the Mini-BESTest and CB&M had a floor effect in the LFA group, and the
BBS and PASS demonstrated responsive ceiling effects in the HFA group. In
addition, the BESTest showed high accuracy as the BBS and Mini-BESTest in
separating participants into HFA and LFA groups. LIMITATION: Whether the results
are generalizable to patients with chronic stroke is unknown. CONCLUSION: The
BESTest is reliable, valid, sensitive, and specific in assessing balance in
people with subacute stroke across all levels of functional disability.
CI - (c) 2014 American Physical Therapy Association.

Langue : ANGLAIS