Validation Of The Functional Assessment Of Multiple Sclerosis Quality Of Life Instrument In A Portuguese Language [validação De Escala De Determinação Funcional Da Qualidade De Vida Na Esclerose Múltipla Para A Língua Portuguesa]

The objective of the present study was to translate, to do cultural equivalence and validation of the Functional Assessment of Multiple Sclerosis quality of life instrument (FAMS) to Portuguese. The database analyzed is longitudinal, with 143 patients with clinically defined multiple sclerosis (MS). The validity of the scale was established by correlating total FAMS scores and sub-scales scores to EDSS and EAN. The internal consistency reliability were similar to those of the original FAMS. All sub-scales correlated with each other (0.35 to 0.71). Total FAMS score correlated significantly with EDSS, and EAN. All sub-scales correlated to EDSS. Kendall's Tau coefficient, showed significant associations between basal and first visit. Responsiveness was investigated considering two groups: patients with EDSS < 3.5 and with EDSS ≥ 3.5. There was significantly higher score in the group with light EDSS when compared to the group of patients with moderate EDSS. One can conclude, based on this retrospective study that FAMS instrument translated to Brazilian Portuguese can be considered reliable, responsive and content valid.621108113Matthews, W.B., Clinical aspects (1998) McAlpine's Multiple Sclerosis, pp. 43-251. , Compston DAS (ed). London: Churchill LivingstoneKurtzke, J.F., Rating neurologic impairment in multiple sclerosis: An expanded disability status scale (EDSS) (1983) Neurology, 33, pp. 1444-1452Burden of illness of multiple sclerosis. II. Quality of Life (1998) Can J Neurol Sci, 25, pp. 31-38Wiklund, I., Karlberg, J., Evaluation of quality of life in clinical trials: Selecting quality of life measures (1991) Controlled Clinical Trials, 12, pp. 204S-216S(1980) International Classifications of Impairments, Disabilities and Handicaps: A Manual and Classification Relating to Consequences of Disease, , Geneva: WHOStudy Protocol for the World Health Organization project to develop a Quality of life assessment instrument (WHQOL) (1993) Quality of Life Res, 2, pp. 153-159(1998) Annotated Bibliography, Rev 2, , Geneva: HHO/MNH/MHP(2000) World Health Organization Quality of Life: General Guidelines for Methodologies on Research and Evaluation of Traditional Medicine, , Geveda: WHO/EDM/TRM/Cella, D.F., Dineen, K., Arnason, B., Validation of he functional assessment of multiple sclerosis quality of life instrument (1996) Neurology, 47, pp. 129-139Hernández, M.A., Tratamiento de la esclerosis múltiple y calidad de vida (2000) Rev Neurol, 30, pp. 1242-1245Ware, J.E., Sherbourne, C.D., The MOS 36-Item short-form health survey (SF-36). Conceptual framework and item selection (1992) Medical Care, 30, pp. 473-480Medeiros, M.M.C., (1998) Impacto da Doença e Qualidade de Vida dos Cuidadores Primários de Pacientes com Artrite Reumatóide: Adaptação Cultural e Validação do Caregiver Burden Scale, , 1998. Tese, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista de Medicina, São Paulo, BrasilSipe, J.C., Knobler, R.L., Braheny, S.L., A neurologic rating scale (NRS) for use in múltiple sclerosis (1984) Neurology, 34, pp. 1368-1372Poser, C.M., Paty, D.W., Scheinberg, L., New diagnosis criteria for multiple sclerosis: Guidelines for research protocols (1983) Ann Neurol, 13, pp. 227-23