Intra- and Inter-Examiner Reliability of the Mini-Mental State Examination for the Post-Stroke Subjects
Stroke, Reliability e Cognition
Among the numerous sequelae resulting from post-stroke conditions, cognitive deficits stand out for their negative impact on individuals. In this context, the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) is a tool used to screen the cognitive state of individuals. This instrument is widely used in the post-stroke population; however, there are no psychometric data for the MMSE translated for the Brazilian population. Thus, the objective is to assess the intra- and inter-examiner reliability of the MMSE for the post-stroke population in Brazil. Fifty individuals (divided between Facisa/UFRN and HUOL) post-stroke will be included, recruited non-probabilistically for in-person assessment with the application of the MMSE, during which a video recording will be made. To assess inter-examiner reliability, two different examiners from the one who conducted the initial assessment (in-person) will analyze the video content and score the test. To investigate intra-examiner reliability, a single evaluator will rewatch the video content of the MMSE assessment and rescore it seven days after the first analysis. Intra- and inter-examiner reliability will be observed using the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC), with models ICC2,1 and ICC3,1, respectively. As preliminary results, 60 participants were recruited for the study at Facisa/UFRN. Of these, 26 declined participation or did not respond to calls, and 4 were excluded for not meeting the inclusion criteria. Thus, the final sample consists of 30 individuals. The participants, with a median age of 66 years (56/73), scored a median of 22.50 (14.50/26.00) points on the MMSE. The results demonstrated excellent inter-examiner reliability in the total MMSE score, with ICC scores of 0.96 (E1 and E2), 0.98 (E1 and E3), and 0.97 (E2 and E3). In the subitem analysis, low inter-examiner reliability (0.20 – E1 and E2; 0.34 – E1 and E3; 0.15 – E2 and E3) was observed for visuospatial ability. Regarding intra-examiner reliability, the instrument showed excellent reliability with an ICC of 0.99. Thus, the Brazilian version of the MMSE presented high reliability, both inter- and intra-examiner, for the studied post-stroke population, with the exception of visuoconstructive ability. Additional analyses will be included upon the study's completion.