Reliability and Construct Validity of a Mobile Application for the Finger Tapping Test Evaluation in People with Multiple Sclerosis
The finger tapping test (FTT) is a tool to evaluate the motor performance of the hand and fingers and eye-hand coordination with applicability in people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS). The aim of this study was to evaluate the intra- and inter-rater reliability of the TappingPro<sup>®</sup&...
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MDPI AG
2024-04-01
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| Seria: | Brain Sciences |
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| Dostęp online: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/14/4/407 |
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| author | Víctor Navarro-López Roberto Cano-de-la-Cuerda Pilar Fernández-González Selena Marcos-Antón Aitor Blázquez-Fernández María Fernández-Cañas Diego Fernández-Vázquez |
| author_facet | Víctor Navarro-López Roberto Cano-de-la-Cuerda Pilar Fernández-González Selena Marcos-Antón Aitor Blázquez-Fernández María Fernández-Cañas Diego Fernández-Vázquez |
| author_sort | Víctor Navarro-López |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The finger tapping test (FTT) is a tool to evaluate the motor performance of the hand and fingers and eye-hand coordination with applicability in people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS). The aim of this study was to evaluate the intra- and inter-rater reliability of the TappingPro<sup>®</sup> mobile app and the construct validity between this app and validated clinical scales for motor performance in healthy subjects and pwMS. 42 healthy subjects (mean age 25.05) and 13 pwMS (mean age 51.69, EDSS between 3 and 7.5E) participated. FTT was performed with the TappingPro<sup>®</sup> mobile app. All participants were examined twice, with a one-week interval between the two appointments. For the analysis of construct validity, the Jamar<sup>®</sup> hydraulic hand dynamometer, Box and Blocks Test (BBT), and Nine Hole Peg Test (NHPT) were used. The intra-rater reliability showed a good correlation (Intraclass Correlation Coefficient, ICC > 0.787) for both upper limbs and both times of FTT for healthy subjects, and an excellent correlation (ICC > 0.956) for upper limbs and both times of FTT for pwMS. The ICC for the inter-rater reliability was good (ICC = 0.869) for the non-dominant upper limb in the FTT 10 s of the healthy subjects, and excellent (ICC > 0.904) for all the other measurements of the healthy subjects and pwMS. However, the Bland–Altman plots showed disagreement between observers and measurements that should be considered in the interpretation of clinical evaluations. The correlation analysis for healthy subjects showed poor associations between all variables, except for the association between hand grip strength and the FTT 60 s in the non-dominant upper limb, which had a moderate coefficient. For pwMS, there were moderate to excellent associations between BBT and the NHPT and FTT for both upper limbs. The correlations between hand grip strength and FFT were poor. This mobile app could be a useful and low-cost assessment tool in pwMS, allowing a simple evaluation and follow-up that has excellent correlation with clinical scales validated in this pathology. |
| first_indexed | 2025-03-22T06:09:28Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1ca0c4e3bd3f49faa3a6e1007a7cb08e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3425 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-03-22T06:09:28Z |
| publishDate | 2024-04-01 |
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| record_format | Article |
| series | Brain Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-1ca0c4e3bd3f49faa3a6e1007a7cb08e2024-04-26T13:16:56ZengMDPI AGBrain Sciences2076-34252024-04-0114440710.3390/brainsci14040407Reliability and Construct Validity of a Mobile Application for the Finger Tapping Test Evaluation in People with Multiple SclerosisVíctor Navarro-López0Roberto Cano-de-la-Cuerda1Pilar Fernández-González2Selena Marcos-Antón3Aitor Blázquez-Fernández4María Fernández-Cañas5Diego Fernández-Vázquez6Department of Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Rehabilitation and Physical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Rey Juan Carlos University, Alcorcón, 28922 Madrid, SpainDepartment of Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Rehabilitation and Physical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Rey Juan Carlos University, Alcorcón, 28922 Madrid, SpainDepartment of Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Rehabilitation and Physical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Rey Juan Carlos University, Alcorcón, 28922 Madrid, SpainMultiple Sclerosis Association of Leganés (ALEM), Leganés, 28915 Madrid, SpainMultiple Sclerosis Association of Leganés (ALEM), Leganés, 28915 Madrid, SpainMultiple Sclerosis Association of Leganés (ALEM), Leganés, 28915 Madrid, SpainDepartment of Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Rehabilitation and Physical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Rey Juan Carlos University, Alcorcón, 28922 Madrid, SpainThe finger tapping test (FTT) is a tool to evaluate the motor performance of the hand and fingers and eye-hand coordination with applicability in people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS). The aim of this study was to evaluate the intra- and inter-rater reliability of the TappingPro<sup>®</sup> mobile app and the construct validity between this app and validated clinical scales for motor performance in healthy subjects and pwMS. 42 healthy subjects (mean age 25.05) and 13 pwMS (mean age 51.69, EDSS between 3 and 7.5E) participated. FTT was performed with the TappingPro<sup>®</sup> mobile app. All participants were examined twice, with a one-week interval between the two appointments. For the analysis of construct validity, the Jamar<sup>®</sup> hydraulic hand dynamometer, Box and Blocks Test (BBT), and Nine Hole Peg Test (NHPT) were used. The intra-rater reliability showed a good correlation (Intraclass Correlation Coefficient, ICC > 0.787) for both upper limbs and both times of FTT for healthy subjects, and an excellent correlation (ICC > 0.956) for upper limbs and both times of FTT for pwMS. The ICC for the inter-rater reliability was good (ICC = 0.869) for the non-dominant upper limb in the FTT 10 s of the healthy subjects, and excellent (ICC > 0.904) for all the other measurements of the healthy subjects and pwMS. However, the Bland–Altman plots showed disagreement between observers and measurements that should be considered in the interpretation of clinical evaluations. The correlation analysis for healthy subjects showed poor associations between all variables, except for the association between hand grip strength and the FTT 60 s in the non-dominant upper limb, which had a moderate coefficient. For pwMS, there were moderate to excellent associations between BBT and the NHPT and FTT for both upper limbs. The correlations between hand grip strength and FFT were poor. This mobile app could be a useful and low-cost assessment tool in pwMS, allowing a simple evaluation and follow-up that has excellent correlation with clinical scales validated in this pathology.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/14/4/407finger tapping testmobile applicationsmultiple sclerosisneurologic examinationupper extremity |
| spellingShingle | Víctor Navarro-López Roberto Cano-de-la-Cuerda Pilar Fernández-González Selena Marcos-Antón Aitor Blázquez-Fernández María Fernández-Cañas Diego Fernández-Vázquez Reliability and Construct Validity of a Mobile Application for the Finger Tapping Test Evaluation in People with Multiple Sclerosis Brain Sciences finger tapping test mobile applications multiple sclerosis neurologic examination upper extremity |
| title | Reliability and Construct Validity of a Mobile Application for the Finger Tapping Test Evaluation in People with Multiple Sclerosis |
| title_full | Reliability and Construct Validity of a Mobile Application for the Finger Tapping Test Evaluation in People with Multiple Sclerosis |
| title_fullStr | Reliability and Construct Validity of a Mobile Application for the Finger Tapping Test Evaluation in People with Multiple Sclerosis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Reliability and Construct Validity of a Mobile Application for the Finger Tapping Test Evaluation in People with Multiple Sclerosis |
| title_short | Reliability and Construct Validity of a Mobile Application for the Finger Tapping Test Evaluation in People with Multiple Sclerosis |
| title_sort | reliability and construct validity of a mobile application for the finger tapping test evaluation in people with multiple sclerosis |
| topic | finger tapping test mobile applications multiple sclerosis neurologic examination upper extremity |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/14/4/407 |
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