Motor Function Test Reliability During the NeuroNEXT Spinal Muscular Atrophy Infant Biomarker Study.
BACKGROUND
The NeuroNEXT SMA Infant Biomarker Study, a two year, longitudinal, multi-center study of infants with SMA type 1 and healthy infants, presented a unique opportunity to assess multi-site rater reliability on three infant motor function tests (MFTs) commonly used to assess infants with SMA type 1.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the effect of prospective MFT rater training and the effect of rater experience on inter-rater and intra-rater reliability for the Test of Infant Motor Performance Screening Items (TIMPSI), the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Infant Test of Neuromuscular Disorders (CHOP-INTEND) and the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS).


METHODS
Training was conducted utilizing a novel set of motor function test (MFT) videos to optimize accurate MFT administration and reliability for the study duration. Inter- and intra-rater reliability of scoring for the TIMPSI and inter-rater reliability of scoring for the CHOP INTEND and the AIMS was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). Effect of rater experience on reliability was examined using ICC. Agreement with 'expert' consensus scores was examined using Pearson's correlation coefficients.


RESULTS
Inter-rater reliability on all MFTs was good to excellent. Intra-rater reliability for the primary MFT, the TIMPSI, was excellent for the study duration. Agreement with 'expert' consensus was within predetermined limits (≥85%) after training. Evaluator experience with SMA and MFTs did not affect reliability.


CONCLUSIONS
Reliability of scores across evaluators was demonstrated for all three study MFTs and scores were reproducible on repeated administration. Evaluator experience had no effect on reliability.
['Krosschell|Kristin J|KJ|', 'Bosch|Michael|M|', 'Nelson|Leslie|L|', 'Duong|Tina|T|', 'Lowes|Linda P|LP|', 'Alfano|Lindsay N|LN|', 'Benjamin|Danielle|D|', 'Carry|Terri B|TB|', 'Devine|Ginger|G|', 'Kelley|Carolyn|C|', 'Gadekan|Rebecca|R|', 'Malkus|Elizabeth C|EC|', 'Pasternak|Amy|A|', 'Provance-Orr|Stephanie|S|', 'Roemeiser-Logan|Lynne|L|', 'Nicorici|Alina|A|', 'Trussell|Donata|D|', 'Young|Sally Dunaway|SD|', 'Fetterman|Jennifer R|JR|', 'Montes|Jacqueline|J|', 'Powers|Penny J|PJ|', 'Quinones|Rebecca|R|', 'Quigley|Janet|J|', 'Coffey|Christopher S|CS|', 'Yankey|Jon W|JW|', 'Bartlett|Amy|A|', 'Kissel|John T|JT|', 'Kolb|Stephen J|SJ|', '|||']
D015415:Biomarkers D002983:Clinical Competence D005260:Female D006801:Humans D007223:Infant D008137:Longitudinal Studies D008297:Male D009043:Motor Activity D059825:Physical Therapists D015203:Reproducibility of Results D014897:Spinal Muscular Atrophies of Childhood
motor function testing reliability NeuroNEXT Spinal muscular atrophy TIMPSI CHOP-INTEND AIMS clinical evaluator neuromuscular diseases outcome measures