Reliability of the modified Rankin Scale applied by telephone

• Main Authors: Katia Savio, Gian Luca Della Pietra, Elodie Oddone, Monica Reggiani, Maurizio A. Leone
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2013-02-01
• Series: Neurology International
• Subjects: stroke, modified Rankin Scale, telephone, reliability, interview
• Online Access: http://www.pagepress.org/journals/index.php/ni/article/view/4295
• ISSN: 2035-8385; 2035-8377

We aimed to evaluate the reliability of the modified Rankin Scale applied telephonically compared with face-to-face assessment in clinically stable hospitalized patients with acute stroke. One hundred and thirty-one patients were interviewed twice by 2 certified nurses (unstructured interview). Half of the patients were randomized to be interviewed by telephone followed by the face-to-face assessment, and half in the reverse order. The median value of the modified Rankin Scale score was 4 (first to third interquartile range 3-5) by telephone as well as by face-to-face assessment (P=0.8). The weighted kappa between the two methods was 0.82 (95% confidence interval: 0.77-0.88). Sensitivity of the telephone assessment was lower for scores 2 and 3 (17% and 46%, respectively) than for the other scores (range 67-90%). Telephone assessment of stroke disability with the modified Rankin Scale is reliable in comparison to direct face- to-face assessment.