ABSTRACT

Objective：The purpose of this study was to produce a regression equation from the preliminary version of the Spinal Cord Injury Ability Realization Measurement Index(SCI-ARMI) for the chronic phase of SCI patients, and to examine the reliability and validity of the estimation.Methods：The subjects consisted of 66 chronic SCI patients with ASIA impairment grades A, B and C, who were admitted in the Sahmyook Rehabilitation Center from January to June, 2006. The patients were assessed with an ASIA motor score in order to measure their neurologic motor impairment, and an SCIMⅡ_to measure their functional abilities at admission and discharge. To examine the reliability and validity of the formula, the calculation of SCI-ARMI was analyzed using the Pearson correlation coefficient.Results：The following results were obtained from this study. 1. ASIA motor scores were statistically significant effect to SCIMⅡ scores.2. As a simple linear regression of the predictive ability of SCIMⅡ scores, a preliminary formula for the calculation of SCI-ARMI was obtained. The SCI-ARMI estimation is as follows. Total SCI-ARMI = 100 × total SCIMⅡob/{13.419+1.127(Motor Score)} (R=.966, SEE=1.747, R=.933)3. Formula based SCI-ARMI values were highly-significantly correlated with SCI-ARMI values based on its definition(r=.723, p<.05).4. Motor scores were not significantly correlated with formula-based SCI-ARMI values and SCI-ARMI values based on its definition on discharge.5. Formula based SCI-ARMI values were not significantly correlated with patients' age, cause of injury, rehabilitation duration, impairment level, and injury severity(p>.05).Conclusion：The results of this study indicate that a formula for the calculation of SCI-ARMI using the chronic phase of individual SCI patients' SCIMⅡ scores and ASIA motor scores is highly valid and reliable, suggesting that SCI-ARMI can be used to examine functional changes and the effects of rehabilitation treatment outcome objectively quantitatively in chronic SCI patients.