ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the reliability of a novel rating scale, unified multiple system atrophy rating scale, section Ⅰ(UMSARS-Ⅰ) in the evaluation of illness severity in patients with multiple system atrophy (MSA). Methods A retrospective analysis and a prospective follow-up study were conducted by using UMSARS-Ⅰ in 46 patients with MSA, and the Schwab and England scale was employed and illness severity was graded. The reliability, validity and sensitivity to change of UMSARS-Ⅰ in evaluating the illness severity of MSA were estimated. Results UMSARS-Ⅰ enjoyed high internal consistency (standard Crohnbach's ?=0.88) and sound content, criterion-related, construct and discriminant validity in the evaluation of illness severity of MSA, and a moderate sensiti-vity to change was found(effect size=0.61). Conclusion UMSARS-Ⅰ is a reliable and multidimensional semi-quantitative scale in the measurement of severity and progression of impairment in MSA.