Equal Opportunities for Stroke Survivors’ Rehabilitation: A Study on the Validity of the Upper Extremity Fugl-Meyer Assessment Scale Translated and Adapted into Romanian

Abstract

Background and objectives: The Upper Extremity Fugl-Meyer Assessment (UEFMA) is one of the most recommended and used methods of clinical evaluation not only for post-stroke motor function disability conditions but also for physiotherapy goal-setting. Up to the present, an official Romanian version has not been officially available. This study aims to carry out a translation, adaptation, and validation of UEFMA in Romanian, thus giving both patients and medical practitioners the equal opportunity of benefiting from its proficiency. Material and methods: The English version of the motor component of UEFMA was back and forth translated in the assent of best practice translation guidelines. The research was performed on a group of 64 post-stroke in-patients regarding psychometric properties for content validation and an exploratory and confirmatory factorial analysis was performed using the Bayesian model. To assess internal consistency and test–retest reliability, we used the Cronbach Alpha index and Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC). We used Pearson correlation with the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) and Modified Rankin Scale (MRS) to determine concurrent validation. Standardized response mean (SRM) was applied to determine the responsiveness of the instrument used. Results: After performing the exploratory factor analysis, a single factor was extracted, with an Eigenvalue of 19.363, which explained 64.543% of the variation. The model was confirmed by Bayesian exploration, with Root Mean Square Residual (RMR) 0.051, Goodness-of-fit Index (GFI) 0.980, Normed-Fit Index (NFI) 0.978 and Relative Fit Index (RFI) 0.977. The Cronbach Alpha value was 0.981, the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) index for average measures was 0.992, the Pearson correlation with FIM 0.789, and MRS −0.787, while the SRM was 1.117. Conclusions: The Romanian version of the UEFMA scale is a reliable, responsive and valid tool which can be used as a standardized assessment in post-stroke patients across Romania.

Non-Immersive Virtual Reality for Post-Stroke Upper Extremity Rehabilitation: A Small Cohort Randomized Trial

“…The motor function and functionality were measured with a short Romanian version of FMUE [28] and MMT. FMUE reliability and validity were excellent for upper extremities (ICC = 0.95 for reliability and one factor for validity) [29].…”

Effects of Specific Virtual Reality-Based Therapy for the Rehabilitation of the Upper Limb Motor Function Post-Ictus: Randomized Controlled Trial

“…Objective and validated outcome measures were used to assess muscle tone [ 34 ], motor function of the upper limb [ 29 ], and the impact of stroke diagnosis in the physical domain and in ADLs [ 38 ], in comparison with the control group.…”

“…A large number of international guidelines and research in the field of neurorehabilitation and brain damage suggest that the FMA-UE is a valid instrument, given its excellent psychometric properties and its adequate scale to assess the functionality and motor function of the upper limb after a stroke. Furthermore, its use has been validated with virtual reality technology, specifically with the Kinect sensor, which is widely known and was part of the evaluation and intervention processes of this study [ 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 ]. The full version has 113 items, while the subscale for the evaluation of the upper limb examines 63 items (55.75%).…”

“…Regarding the characteristics of the upper limb, 33 items (29.20%) evaluate motor function, 6 items (5.31%) the sensitivity and proprioception, and the last 24 points (38.09%) correspond to pain and joint mobility. Each item on the evaluation scale responds to an ordinal level of 0 to 2 points: 0 corresponds to an inability to carry out movement and 2 to a capacity to carry it out completely and adequately [ 29 ]. We applied the Spanish version of the FMA-EU [ 33 ] with a Spearman coefficient of 0.946 ( p = 0.000) for the domain of the upper limb, excellent reliability (ICC of 0.987; p = 0.000), and a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.98 for motor balance of the upper limb.…”

Is an Oral Health Status a Predictor of Functional Improvement in Ischemic Stroke Patients Undergoing Comprehensive Rehabilitation Treatment?

“…This goal seems to be of paramount importance in the rehabilitation of this group of patients. An adequate and rigorous assessment is vital for the rehabilitation physician (physiatrist) to establish proper physiotherapy and physical recovery outcomes, monitor progress in patients’ rehabilitation, and prescribe an adequate medicine treatment [ 16 ] with particular attention to polypharmacy and its possible consequences [ 17 ].…”