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Evaluation of internal consistency and re-test reliability of Bath ankylosing spondylitis indices in a large cohort of adult and juvenile spondylitis patients in Taiwan

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Abstract

The Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI), and Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Global Score (BAS-G) have been recommended for evaluating function and disability in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). The aim of this study was to develop a Chinese version of the BASDAI, BASFI, and BAS-G and assess their reliability and validity. The Chinese version was obtained after a translation and back-translation process. A total of 447 patients with adult and juvenile AS were assessed using these three instruments. Reliability was tested by internal consistency and test–retest reliability. Internal consistency of the instrument was given as Cronbach’s alpha. Test–retest reliability was assessed by intraclass correlation coefficient. To assess the sensitivity to change, 153 patients were included in an 8-week follow-up study. In our analysis, the reliability of these three instruments—the BASDAI, BASFI, and BAS-G—for a 24-h test–retest showed acceptable intraclass correlation coefficients (0.92–0.94). Our Chinese versions of the BASDAI, BASFI, and BAS-G also showed 0.87, 0.94, and 0.90, respectively, with Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, indicating good reliability. For sensitivity to change in 8-week follow-up, all three instruments showed 5.0 to 5.4% changes. Our Chinese versions of the BASDAI, BASFI, and BAS-G showed adequate reliability, validity, and responsiveness to clinical change. Thus, disease activity and functional status in Chinese-speaking patients with AS may be adequately evaluated with these versions of the original instruments.

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Abbreviations

AS:

ankylosing spondylitis

JAS:

juvenile onset disease

AAS:

adult onset disease

BASDAI:

Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index

BASFI:

Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index

BAS-G:

Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Global Score

VAS:

visual analogue scales

ESR:

erythrocyte sedimentation rate

CRP:

C-reactive protein

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan

    James Cheng-Chung Wei, Jun-Huang Huang & Ming-Chih Chou

  2. Division of Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan

    James Cheng-Chung Wei & Gregory J. Tsay

  3. Department of Public Health, College of Health Care and Management, Chung Shan Medical University, No. 110 Chien-Kuo N Rd, Sec. 1, 40242, Taichung, Taiwan

    Ruey-Hong Wong, Jun-Huang Huang & Hong-Shen Lee

  4. Institute of Public Health, College of Health Care and Management, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan

    Ruey-Hong Wong & Hong-Shen Lee

  5. Department of Orthopaedics, Changhua Christian Hospital, Chunghua, Taiwan

    Chen-Tung Yu

  6. Division of Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology, Veterans General Hospital-Taipei and National Yang-Ming Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan

    Chung-Tei Chou

  7. Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Department of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan

    Ming-Shiou Jan

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  1. James Cheng-Chung Wei
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  9. Hong-Shen Lee
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Correspondence to Hong-Shen Lee.

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Wei, J.CC., Wong, RH., Huang, JH. et al. Evaluation of internal consistency and re-test reliability of Bath ankylosing spondylitis indices in a large cohort of adult and juvenile spondylitis patients in Taiwan. Clin Rheumatol 26, 1685–1691 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-007-0573-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-007-0573-6

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