Validity and Reproducibility of a New Treadmill Protocol: The Fitkids Treadmill Test. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc., Vol. 47, No. 10, pp. 2241–2247, 2015. Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the validity and reproducibility of a new treadmill protocol in healthy children and adolescents: the Fitkids Treadmill Test (FTT). Methods: Sixty-eight healthy children and adolescents (6–18 yr) were randomly divided into a validity group (14 boys and 20 girls; mean T SD age, 12.9 T 3.6 yr) that performed the FTT and Bruce protocol, both with respiratory gas analysis within 2 wk, and a reproducibility group (19 boys and 15 girls; mean T SD age, 13.5 T 3.5 yr) that performed the FTT twice within 2 wk. A subgroup of 21 participants within the reproducibility group performed both FTT with respiratory gas analysis. Time to exhaustion (TTE) was the main outcome of the FTT. Results: V˙ O2peak measured during the FTT showed excellent correlation with V˙ O2peak measured during the Bruce protocol (r = 0.90; P G 0.01). Backward multiple regression analysis provided the following prediction equations for V˙ O2peak (LIminj1) for boys and girls, respectively: V˙ O2peak FTT ¼ j0:748 þ ð0:117 TTEFTTÞ þ ð0:032 bodymassÞ þ 0:263, and V˙ O2peak FTT ¼ j0:748 þ ð0:117 TTEFTTÞ þ ð0:032 bodymassÞ [R2 ¼ 0:935; SEE ¼ 0:256LI min j1]. Cross-validation of the regression model showed an R2 value of 0.76. Reliability statistics for the FTT showed an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.985 (95% confidence interval, 0.971–0.993; P G 0.001) for TTE. Bland–Altman analysis showed a mean bias of j0.07 min, with limits of agreement between +1.30 and j1.43 min. Conclusions: Results suggest that the FTT is a useful treadmill protocol with good validity and reproducibility in healthy children and adolescents. Exercise performance on the FTT and body mass can be used to adequately predict V˙ O2peak when respiratory gas analysis is not available.
DOCUMENT
Background There currently is no field test available for measuring maximal exercise capacity in people with stroke. Objective To determine the feasibility, reproducibility and validity of the Shuttle Test (ST) to measure exercise capacity in people with stroke. Design Longitudinal study design. Setting Rehabilitation department, day care centres from a nursing home and private practices specialized in neuro rehabilitation. Subjects People with subacute or chronic stroke. Interventions A standardized protocol was used to determine feasibility, reproducibility and validity of the 10-meter Shuttle Test (10mST). Main measures Number of shuttles completed, 1stVentilatory Threshold (1stVT). Results The associations of the number of shuttles completed and cardiopulmonary capacity as measured with a portable gas analyser were r > 0.7, confirming good convergent validity in subacute and chronic people with stroke. Criterion validity, however, indicates it is not a valid test for measuring maximal cardiopulmonary capacity (VO2max). Only 60% of participants were able to reach the 1stVT. Higher cardiopulmonary capacity and a higher total score of the lower extremity Motricity Index contributed significantly to a higher number of shuttles walked (p = 0.001). Conclusions The Shuttle Test may be a safe and useful exercise test for people after stroke, but may not be appropriate for use with people who walk slower than 2 km/h or 0.56 m/s.
DOCUMENT
Aim and method: To examine in obese people the potential effectiveness of a six-week, two times weekly aquajogging program on body composition, fitness, health-related quality of life and exercise beliefs. Fifteen otherwise healthy obese persons participated in a pilot study. Results: Total fat mass and waist circumference decreased 1.4 kg (p = .03) and 3.1 cm (p = .005) respectively. The distance in the Six-Minute Walk Test increased 41 meters (p = .001). Three scales of the Impact of Weight on Quality of Life-Lite questionnaire improved: physical function (p = .008), self-esteem (p = .004), and public distress (p = .04). Increased perceived exercise benefits (p = .02) and decreased embarrassment (p = .03) were observed. Conclusions: Aquajogging was associated with reduced body fat and waist circumference, and improved aerobic fitness and quality of life. These findings suggest the usefulness of conducting a randomized controlled trial with long-term outcome assessments.
DOCUMENT
Objective: The most common methods to calculate energy costs are based on measured oxygen uptake during walking a standardized distance or time. Unfortunately, it is unclear which method is most reliable to determine energy cost of walking in stroke survivors. The objective of this study was to evaluate the 3 most commonly used methods for calculating oxygen consumption and -cost by assessing test-retest reliability and measurement error in community dwelling chronic stroke survivors during a 6 Minute Walk Test. Methods: In this secondary analysis of a longitudinal study, reproducibility of the outcome of walking distance, walking speed, oxygen consumption and oxygen cost from 3 methods (Kendall's tau, assumed steady-state and total walking time oxygen consumption) were determined using Intraclass Correlation Coefficient, Standard Error of Measurement and Smallest Detectable Change. Results: 20 from the 31 participants successfully performed the 6 minute walk test-retest within a timeframe of 1 month. Within the 2 tests the reproducibility of walking distance and walking speed was high. The 3 methods to determine reproducibility for oxygen cost and oxygen consumption were considered good (Kendall's tau), good (assumed steady-state) and excellent (total walking time). Conclusions: The method using oxygen consumption and -cost over the total walking time resulted in the highest reproducibility considering the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient, its 95% Confidence Interval, and smaller absolute differences.
LINK
This article gives information on an international ring trial of the epidermal-equivalent (EE) sensitizer potency assay.
MULTIFILE
PURPOSE: To examine the reproducibility of the institutional version of the Dutch Activity Card Sort (ACS-NL) and the possible presence of gender bias.METHODS: Older rehabilitation inpatients (N = 52) were included. Intra- and inter-rater agreement for the ACS-NL total and subscale scores was examined by intraclass correlations (ICC), and agreement of individual items by the κ coefficient (k). Gender bias was examined by the proportion of men and women selecting an ACS item.RESULTS: ICC for inter-rater agreement of the ACS total score ranged between 0.78 and 0.87, ICC for intra-rater agreement ranged between 0.79 and 0.89. Median inter-rater κ for ACS-NL items was 0.72 (interquartile scores; 0.62-0.80). The inter-rater agreement (k = 0.43) and intra-rater agreement (k = 0.39) for the five most important activities was lower. Twenty ACS activities favoured men and seven activities favoured women. As a result, men scored systematically higher on the ACS-NL than women. Logistic regression analysis correcting for activity engagement level confirmed our findings.CONCLUSIONS: The reproducibility of the ACS-NL was high. The ACS-NL institutional version score may be biased in favour of men.
DOCUMENT
OBJECTIVE: Ever since Engel's Biopsychosocial Model (1977) emotions, thoughts, beliefs and behaviors are accepted as important factors of health. The Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (Brief IPQ) assesses these beliefs. Aim of this study was to cross-culturally adapt the Brief IPQ into the Brief IPQ Dutch Language Version (Brief IPQ-DLV), and to assess its face validity, content validity, reproducibility, and concurrent validity. METHODS: Beaton's guideline was used for cross-culturally adaptation. Face and content validity were assessed in 25 patients, 15 physiotherapists and 24 first-grade students. Reproducibility was established in 27 individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease using Cohen's kappa coefficient (K(w)) and the Smallest Detectable Change (SDC). Concurrent validity was assessed in 163 patients visiting 11 different physical therapists. RESULTS: The Brief IPQ-DLV is well understood by patients, health care professionals and first-grade students. Reliability at 1 week for the dimensions Consequences, Concern and Emotional response K(w)>0.70, for the dimensions Personal control, Treatment control, Identity, K(w)<0.70. A time interval of 3 weeks, reliability coefficients were lower for almost all dimensions. SDC was between 2.45 and 3.37 points for individual measurement purposes and between 0.47 and 0.57 points for group evaluative measurement purposes. Concurrent validity showed significant correlations (P<.05) for four out of eight illness perceptions (IPs) dimensions. CONCLUSION: The face and content properties were found to be acceptable. The reproducibility and concurrent validity needs further investigated
DOCUMENT
Background. The Treatment Beliefs Questionnaire has been developed to measure patients’ beliefs of necessity of and concerns about rehabilitation. Preliminary evidence suggests that these beliefs may be associated with attendance of rehabilitation. The aim of this study was to translate and adapt the Treatment Beliefs Questionnaire for interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation and to examine the measurement properties of the Dutch translation including the predictive validity for dropout. Methods. The questionnaire was translated in 4 steps: forward translation from English into Dutch, achieving consensus, back translation into English, and pretesting on providers and patients. In order to establish structural validity, internal consistency, construct validity, and predictive validity of the questionnaire, 188 participants referred to a rehabilitation centre for outpatient interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation completed the questionnaire at the baseline. Dropout was measured as the number of patients starting, but not completing the programme. For reproducibility, 51 participants were recruited at another rehabilitation centre to complete the questionnaire at the baseline and one week later. Results. We confirmed the structural validity of the Treatment beliefs Questionnaire in the Dutch translation with three subscales, necessity, concerns, and perceived barriers. internal consistency was acceptable with ordinal alphas ranging from 0.66–0.87. Reproducibility was acceptable with ICC2,1 agreement ranging from 0.67–0.81. Hypotheses testing confirmed construct validity, similar to the original questionnaire. Predictive validity showed the questionnaire was unable to predict dropouts. Conclusion. Cross-cultural translation was successfully completed, and the Dutch Treatment Beliefs Questionnaire demonstrates similar psychometric properties as the original English version.
DOCUMENT
BACKGROUND: Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) measurements of oxygenation reflect O2 delivery and utilization in exercising muscle and may improve detection of a critical exercise threshold.PURPOSE: First, to detect an oxygenation breakpoint (Δ[O2HbMb-HHbMb]-BP) and compare this breakpoint to ventilatory thresholds during a maximal incremental test across sexes and training status. Second, to assess reproducibility of NIRS signals and exercise thresholds and investigate confounding effects of adipose tissue thickness on NIRS measurements.METHODS: Forty subjects (10 trained male cyclists, 10 trained female cyclists, 11 endurance trained males and 9 recreationally trained males) performed maximal incremental cycling exercise to determine Δ[O2HbMb-HHbMb]-BP and ventilatory thresholds (VT1 and VT2). Muscle haemoglobin and myoglobin O2 oxygenation ([HHbMb], [O2HbMb], SmO2) was determined in m. vastus lateralis. Δ[O2HbMb-HHbMb]-BP was determined by double linear regression. Trained cyclists performed the maximal incremental test twice to assess reproducibility. Adipose tissue thickness (ATT) was determined by skinfold measurements.RESULTS: Δ[O2HbMb-HHbMb]-BP was not different from VT1, but only moderately related (r = 0.58-0.63, p<0.001). VT1 was different across sexes and training status, whereas Δ[O2HbMb-HHbMb]-BP differed only across sexes. Reproducibility was high for SmO2 (ICC = 0.69-0.97), Δ[O2HbMb-HHbMb]-BP (ICC = 0.80-0.88) and ventilatory thresholds (ICC = 0.96-0.99). SmO2 at peak exercise and at occlusion were strongly related to adipose tissue thickness (r2 = 0.81, p<0.001; r2 = 0.79, p<0.001). Moreover, ATT was related to asymmetric changes in Δ[HHbMb] and Δ[O2HbMb] during incremental exercise (r = -0.64, p<0.001) and during occlusion (r = -0.50, p<0.05).CONCLUSION: Although the oxygenation threshold is reproducible and potentially a suitable exercise threshold, VT1 discriminates better across sexes and training status during maximal stepwise incremental exercise. Continuous-wave NIRS measurements are reproducible, but strongly affected by adipose tissue thickness.
DOCUMENT
Background: Experienced assessors show good intra-rater reproducibility (within-session and between-session agreement and reliability) when using an algometer to determine pressure pain thresholds (PPT). However, it is unknown whether novice assessors perform equally well. This study aimed to determine within and between-session agreement and reliability of PPT measurements performed by novice assessors and explored whether these parameters differed per assessor and algometer type.Methods: Ten novice assessors measured PPTs over four test locations (tibialis anterior muscle, rectus femoris muscle, extensor carpi radialis brevis muscle and paraspinal muscles C5-C6) in 178 healthy participants, using either a Somedic Type II digital algometer (10 raters; 88 participants) or a Wagner Force Ten FDX 25 digital algometer (nine raters; 90 participants). Prior to the experiment, the novice assessors practiced PPTs for 3 h per algometer. Each assessor measured a different subsample of ~9 participants. For both the individual assessor and for all assessors combined (i.e., the group representing novice assessors), the standard error of measurement (SEM) and coefficient of variation (CV) were calculated to reflect within and between-session agreement. Reliability was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC1,1).Results: Within-session agreement expressed as SEM ranged from 42 to 74 kPa, depending on the test location and device. Between-session agreement, expressed as SEM, ranged from 36 to 76 kPa and the CV ranged from 9-16% per body location. Individual assessors differed from the mean group results, ranging from -55 to +32 kPa or from -9.5 to +6.6 percentage points. Reliability was good to excellent (ICC1,1: 0.87 to 0.95). Results were similar for both types of algometers.Conclusions: Following 3 h of algometer practice, there were slight differences between assessors, but reproducibility in determining PPTs was overall good.
DOCUMENT
