The utility of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health in assessing limb spasticity after stroke / 中华物理医学与康复杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To screen and identify International Classification of Functioning,Disability and Health (ICF) core sets for spasticity and make a dedicated and comprehensive assessment tool for spasticity after stroke.MethodsFifty patients with spasticity after stroke were involved in this study.Information about them was collected by clinical investigation and self-completed questionnaires.The ICF scale was used to assess the severity of each item.Each item's frequency was calculated and those items with frequencies ≥ 30％ were selected as the first ICF core set for spasticity.The ICF check list was designed as a questionnaire and 8 doctors and 5 therapists were consulted.Items with frequency ≥50％ were chosen as the second level ICF core set for spasticity.The two results (termed ICF core sets Ⅰ and Ⅱ) were integrated with the initial ICF core sets for spasticity and sent to 42 experts in the area of neurological rehabilitation.Items with a frequency ≥80％ were chosen as the final ICF core set for spasticity.ResultsA total of 32 ICF items were included in the ICF core set for spasticity after stroke.There were 10body function items,4 body structure items,13 activity and participation items and 5 environmental items involved.ConclusionThe ICF core set for spasticity was identified in this study.The selected items covered content broader than other common spasm assessment scales.The result is a comprehensive description of spasticity.