[Adaptation and convergent validity of a telephone-based Mini-Mental State Examination]. / Adaptación y validez convergente de una versión telefónica del Mini-Mental State Examination.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To adapt to Spanish and to determine the convergent validity of a Telephone Mini-Mental State Examination (t-MMSE) in order to assess the cognitive functions in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. PATIENTS AND METHOD: Prospective and observational study of a clinical sample consisting of patients with dementia from a memory clinic. Consecutive sampling of participants was used and convergent validity of the t-MMSE and MMSE scores was determined using several statistics measures. Patients were randomly assigned depending on the administration of the in-person/telephone test (MMSE and t-MMSE) or telephone/in-person (t-MMSE and MMSE) test within a 1- to 7-day interval. The effect of the confusion variables (age, gender, years of education, dementia severity, presence or absence of hearing impairment and administration order) on the concordance between the in-person and telephone MMSE versions was analysed. RESULTS: After translating and retranslating the t-MMSE, of 141 participants, 77.47% subjects completed the protocol of the study. For the total score, the statistics for the convergent validity suggested a high consistency, independently of the order of test administration (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.87, Spearman's rho = 0.77); for the all subscores, it suggested moderate and good correlations. The difference between subscores did not range more than 1 point in any case. Confusion variables did not affect the variability of the performance scores between t-MMSE and MMSE. CONCLUSIONS: The t-MMSE can be used as a good tool to estimate the MMSE score of patients with dementia.

Adaptación y validez convergente de una versión telefónica del Mini-Mental State Examination / Adaptation and convergent validity of a telephone-based Mini-Mental State Examination

Fundamento y objetivo: Adaptar al castellano y determinar la validez convergente de una versión telefónica del Mini-Mental State Examination (t-MMSE) para valorar las funciones cognoscitivas de los pacientes con demencia. Pacientes y método: Estudio observacional y prospectivo de pacientes con demencia seleccionados mediante muestreo consecutivo de las consultas ambulatorias de una unidad hospitalaria. Se evaluó la validez convergente de las puntuaciones del t-MMSE respecto a las puntuaciones del MMSE mediante diversos indicadores. Los participantes fueron aleatorizados a la aplicación de los tests, en el intervalo de 1 semana, presencial-telefónica (MMSE y t-MMSE) y telefónica- presencial (t-MMSE y MMSE). Se analizó el efecto de variables de confusión (edad, sexo, escolaridad, gravedad de la demencia, déficit auditivo y orden de aplicación) en el grado de concordancia entre el t-MMSE y el MMSE. Resultados: Tras el proceso de traducción directa e inversa del t-MMSE, fue posible aplicar el protocolo de estudio al 77,47% de los candidatos a participar (n=141). Para la puntuación total, los indicadores de validez convergente fueron elevados independientemente del orden de aplicación (coeficiente de correlación intraclase = 0,87; rho de Spearman = 0,77). Los indicadores de validez de las subpuntuaciones presentaron valores entre moderados y buenos. Las diferencias entre las subpuntuaciones no fueron superiores a 1 punto en ningún caso. No se observó ningún efecto de las variables de confusión en la variación de las puntuaciones entre el t-MMSE y el MMSE. Conclusiones: El t-MMSE puede ser utilizado de forma válida para estimar la puntuación del MMSE en pacientes con demencia

Background and objective: To adapt to Spanish and to determine the convergent validity of a Telephone Mini-Mental State Examination (t-MMSE) in order to assess the cognitive functions in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. Patients and method: Prospective and observational study of a clinical sample consisting of patients with dementia from a memory clinic. Consecutive sampling of participants was used and convergent validity of the t-MMSE and MMSE scores was determined using several statistics measures. Patients were randomly assigned depending on the administration of the in-person/telephone test (MMSE and t-MMSE) or telephone/in-person (t-MMSE and MMSE) test within a 1- to 7-day interval. The effect of the confusion variables (age, gender, years of education, dementia severity, presence or absence of hearing impairment and administration order) on the concordance between the in-person and telephone MMSE versions was analysed. Results: After translating and retranslating the t-MMSE, of 141 participants, 77.47% subjects completed the protocol of the study. For the total score, the statistics for the convergent validity suggested a high consistency, independently of the order of test administration (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.87, Spearman's rho = 0.77); for the all subscores, it suggested moderate and good correlations. The difference between subscores did not range more than 1 point in any case. Confusion variables did not affect the variability of the performance scores between t-MMSE and MMSE. Conclusions: The t-MMSE can be used as a good tool to estimate the MMSE score of patients with dementia