Psychometric Evaluation of Commonly Used Measures in Stroke

The Computerized Adaptive Testing system of the Functional Assessment of Stroke comprises 58 items. The items were selected from four well-known physical function measures for patients with stroke: 26 items from the Fugl-Meyer Assessment-Upper limb, 11 items from the Fugl-Meyer Assessment-Lower limb, 12 items from the Postural Assessment Scale for Stroke Patients, and 9 items from the Barthel Index. These items evaluate motor control, postural control, and activity of daily living functions in patients with stroke. Results are automatically reported as Rasch scores (i.e., the minimum and maximum values are negative and positive infinity, respectively). A higher score indicates greater physical functions.

The Barthel Index has 10 items, and the total score ranges from 0 to 100. Higher score indicates less disability on activity of daily living functions.

The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale comprises 11 items and was used to monitor the severity in the patients with stroke. The total score ranges from 0 to 42, with a higher score indicating greater severity. A National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score of 1-5 indicates mild severity; 6-14, mild to moderate severity; 15-24, severe severity; and equal to or greater than 25, very severe severity.