1. Pooled Minimal Clinically Important Differences of the Mini-Balance Evaluation Systems Test in Patients With Early Subacute Stroke: A Multicenter Prospective Observational Study
- Author
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Tamura, Shuntaro, Miyata, Kazuhiro, Hasegawa, Satoshi, Kobayashi, Sota, Shioura, Kosuke, and Usuda, Shigeru
- Subjects
Stroke (Disease) -- Diagnosis -- Care and treatment ,Mortality -- Evaluation -- Japan - Abstract
Objective. Balance problems are common in patients with stroke, and the Mini-Balance Evaluation Systems Test (Mini-BESTest) is a reliable and valid assessment tool for measuring balance function. Determining the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) is crucial for assessing treatment effectiveness. This study aimed to determine the MCID of the Mini-BESTest in patients with early subacute stroke. Methods. In this prospective multicenter study, 53 patients with early subacute stroke undergoing rehabilitation in inpatient units were included. The mean age of the patients was 72.6 (SD = 12.2) years. The Mini-BESTest, which consists of 14 items assessing various aspects of balance function, including anticipatory postural adjustments, postural responses, sensory orientation, and dynamic gait, was used as the assessment tool. The global rating of change (GRC) scales completed by the participants and physical therapists were used as external anchors to calculate the MCID. The GRC scale measured subjective improvement in balance function, ranging from -3 (very significantly worse) to +3 (very significantly better), with a GRC score of [greater than or equal to]+2 considered as meaningful improvement. Four methods were used to calculate the MCID: mean of participants with GRC of 2, receiver operating characteristic--based method, predictive modeling method, and adjustment of the predictive modeling method based on the rate of improvement. From the MCID values obtained using these methods, a single pooled MCID value was calculated. Results. The MCID values for the Mini-BESTest obtained through the 4 methods ranged from 3.2 to 4.5 points when using the physical therapist's GRC score as the anchor but could not be calculated using the participant's GRC score. The pooled MCID value for the Mini-BESTest was 3.8 (95% CI = 2.9-5.0). Conclusions. The Mini-BESTest MCID obtained in this study is valuable for identifying improvements in balance function among patients with early subacute stroke. Impact. Determination of the MCID is valuable for evaluating treatment effectiveness. The study findings provide clinicians with practical values that can assist in interpreting Mini-BESTest results and assessing treatment effectiveness. Keywords: Cerebrovascular Accident, Mini Balance Evaluation Systems Test, Minimal Clinically Important Difference, Outcome Measure, Postural Balance, Introduction Stroke is the leading cause of death and disability worldwide, (1) often resulting in balance problems during the recovery period. (2) Stroke may affect various aspects of balance function, [...]
- Published
- 2024
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