Reliability of the Modified Tardieu Scale and the Modified Ashworth Scale in adult patients with severe brain injury: a comparison study:

Objective: To assess and to compare the reliability of the Modified Tardieu Scale with the Modified Ashworth Scale in patients with severe brain injury and impaired consciousness.Design: Cross-sectional observational comparison study.Setting: An early rehabilitation centre for adults with neurological disorders.Subjects: Thirty patients with impaired consciousness due to severe cerebral damage of various aetiologies.Measurement protocol: Four experienced physical therapists rated each patient in a randomized order once daily for two consecutive days. Shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee and ankle spasticity were assessed by the use of Modified Tardieu Scale and Modified Ashworth Scale data collection procedures.Main outcome measures: Test - retest and inter-rater reliability (k=kappa value) of the Modified Tardieu Scale and the Modified Ashworth Scale.Results: The test-retest reliability of the Modified Ashworth Scale was moderate to good (k = 0.47-0.62) and of the Modified Tardieu Scale moderate to very goo...