scholarly journals Validity of the Global Activity Limitation Indicator (GALI) to evaluate severity of disability

Author(s):  
Belisa Tarazona ◽  
Jesús González-Enríquez ◽  
Javier Almazán-Isla ◽  
Enrique Alcalde-Cabero ◽  
Jesús de Pedro-Cuesta ◽  
...  

Abstract Our aim was to estimate the validity of the Global Activity Limitation Indicator (GALI) when measuring the severity level of disability. Data came from 153 residents of Spain, who requested an evaluation of their degree of disability. We compared disability classifications (severe vs. non-severe) from GALI against those from the 36-item questionnaire WHODAS 2.0, the current gold standard measure of disability. The sensitivity of GALI to detect severe disability was 58.3% [95% confidence interval (CI):43.2–72.4], and the specificity was 84.8% (95% CI: 76.4–91.0). Thus, the validity of GALI to accurately categorize the degree of severity of an individual’s disability is not high, this in great part due to its limited sensitivity.

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 927
Author(s):  
Zdenek Kadanka ◽  
Zdenek Kadanka ◽  
Tomas Skutil ◽  
Eva Vlckova ◽  
Josef Bednarik

Impaired gait is one of the cardinal symptoms of degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) and frequently its initial presentation. Quantitative gait analysis is therefore a promising objective tool in the disclosure of early cervical cord impairment in patients with degenerative cervical compression. The aim of this cross-sectional observational cohort study was to verify whether an objective and easily-used walk and run test is capable of detecting early gait impairment in a practical proportion of non-myelopathic degenerative cervical cord compression (NMDCC) patients and of revealing any correlation with severity of disability in DCM. The study group consisted of 45 DCM patients (median age 58 years), 126 NMDCC subjects (59 years), and 100 healthy controls (HC) (55.5 years), all of whom performed a standardized 10-m walk and run test. Walking/running time/velocity, number of steps and cadence of walking/running were recorded; analysis disclosed abnormalities in 66.7% of NMDCC subjects. The DCM group exhibited significantly more pronounced abnormalities in all walk/run parameters when compared with the NMDCC group. These were apparent in 84.4% of the DCM group and correlated closely with disability as quantified by the modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association scale. A standardized 10-m walk/run test has the capacity to disclose locomotion abnormalities in NMDCC subjects who lack other clear myelopathic signs and may provide a means of classifying DCM patients according to their degree of disability.


Neurology ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 94 (9) ◽  
pp. e942-e949 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyo-Jung Kim ◽  
Jeong-Mi Song ◽  
Liqun Zhong ◽  
Xu Yang ◽  
Ji-Soo Kim

ObjectivesTo develop a simple questionnaire for self-diagnosis of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV).MethodsWe developed a questionnaire that consisted of 6 questions, the first 3 to diagnose BPPV and the next 3 to determine the involved canal and type of BPPV. From 2016 to 2017, 578 patients with dizziness completed the questionnaire before the positional tests, a gold standard for diagnosis of BPPV, at the Dizziness Clinic of Seoul National University Bundang Hospital.ResultsOf the 578 patients, 200 were screened to have BPPV and 378 were screened to have dizziness/vertigo due to disorders other than BPPV. Of the 200 patients with a questionnaire-based diagnosis of BPPV, 160 (80%) were confirmed to have BPPV with positional tests. Of the 378 patients with a questionnaire-based diagnosis of non-BPPV, 24 (6.3%) were found to have BPPV with positional tests. Thus, the sensitivity, specificity, and precision of the questionnaires for the diagnosis of BPPV were 87.0%, 89.8%, and 80.0% (121 of 161, 95% confidence interval 74.5%–85.5%). Of the 200 patients with a questionnaire-based diagnosis of BPPV, 30 failed to respond to the questions 4 through 6 to determine the involved canal and type of BPPV. The questionnaire and positional tests showed the same results for the subtype and affected side of BPPV in 121 patients (121 of 170, 71.2%).ConclusionThe accuracy of questionnaire-based diagnosis of BPPV is acceptable.Classification of evidenceThis study provides Class III evidence that, in patients with dizziness, a questionnaire can diagnose BPPV with a sensitivity of 87.0% and a specificity of 89.8%.


2018 ◽  
Vol 76 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Petronille Bogaert ◽  
Herman Van Oyen ◽  
Isabelle Beluche ◽  
Emmanuelle Cambois ◽  
Jean-Marie Robine

2015 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicolas Berger ◽  
Herman Van Oyen ◽  
Emmanuelle Cambois ◽  
Tony Fouweather ◽  
Carol Jagger ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Merylin Ranoko ◽  
Aryati Aryati ◽  
Arifoel Hajat

Malaria remains a health problem in Indonesia. Microscopic examination with Giemsa staining is the gold standard for diagnosing malaria. The density of parasites correlates with the degree of severity and response to therapy of malaria. Malaria-causing plasmodium can be detected by Sysmex XN-1000 which is marked by abnormalities in the WDF, WNR and RET scattergram. This research aimed to determine the correlation of WDF, WNR and RET abnormal scattergram detected by Sysmex XN-1000 and the parasitemia index of malaria at the Merauke General Hospital. This was a cross-sectional study with observational approach conducted between November 2017 – February 2018 at the Merauke General Hospital. Positive malaria samples were stained with Giemsa, their parasitemia index was calculated, routine complete blood count using Sysmex XN-1000 was performed, and the scattergram abnormalities were then analyzed. There were 65 positive malaria samples as follows: P.falciparum (35%), P.vivax (60%), P.ovale (3.1%), and P.malariae (1.5%), but the species did not correlate with parasitemic index (p=0.691). Abnormalities of WDF and WNR scattergram were predominantly found than RET scattergram (80% vs. 27.7%). P.vivax predominantly caused abnormalities of the WDF and WNR scattergram in 36 of 39 samples (92.3%), whereas P.falciparum predominantly caused abnomalities of the RET scattergram in 14 of 23 samples (60.9%). There was 95% positivity of an abnormality in WDF/WNR/RET scattergram with a cut-off of > 5,0165.5/µL. There was correlation between WDF, WNR, RET scattergram detected by Sysmex XN-1000 and the parasitemia index.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jesse Gitaka ◽  
Eva Muthamia ◽  
Samuel Mbugua ◽  
Mary Mungai ◽  
Gama Bandawe ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a need for rapid identification of infectious cases. Testing barriers have prohibited adequate screening for SARS COV2, resulting in significant delays in treatment provision and commencement of outbreak control measures. This study aimed to generate evidence on the performance and implementation characteristics of the BD Veritor rapid antigen test as compared to the gold standard test for diagnosis of SARS COV2 in Kenya. Methods: This was a field test performance evaluation in symptomatic and asymptomatic adults undergoing testing for SARS COV2. Recruited participants were classified as SARS-CoV2-positive based on the locally implemented gold standard reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test performed on nasopharyngeal swabs. 272 antigen tests were performed with simultaneous gold standard testing, allowing us to estimate sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values for the BD Veritor rapid antigen test platform. Implementation characteristics were assessed using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research for feasibility, acceptability, turn-around time, and ease-of-use metrics. Results and Discussion: We enrolled 97 PCR negative symptomatic and 128 PCR negative asymptomatic, and 28 PCR positive symptomatic and 19 PCR positive asymptomatic participants. Compared to the gold standard, the sensitivity of the BD Veritor antigen test was 94% (95% confidence interval [CI] 86.6 to 100.0) while the specificity was 98% (95% confidence interval [CI] 96 to 100). The sensitivity of BD Veritor antigen test was higher among symptomatic (100%) compared to asymptomatic (84%) participants, although this difference was not statistically significant. There was also a lack of association between cycle threshold value and sensitivity of BD Veritor test. The BD Veritor test had quick turnaround time and minimal resource requirements, and laboratory personnel conducting testing felt that it was easier to use than the gold standard RT-PCR. Conclusion: The BD Veritor rapid antigen test exhibited excellent sensitivity and specificity when used to detect SARS-CoV-2 infection among both symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals in varied population settings in Kenya. It was feasible to implement and easy to use, with rapid turnaround time.


2010 ◽  
Vol 63 (8) ◽  
pp. 892-899 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carol Jagger ◽  
Clare Gillies ◽  
Emmanuelle Cambois ◽  
Herman Van Oyen ◽  
Wilma Nusselder ◽  
...  

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