Janneke M. Stolwijk-Swüste, Anita Beelen, Gustaaf J. Lankhorst, Frans Nollet, the CARPA study group
DOI: 10.2340/16501977-0188

Objective: To select a questionnaire and walking capacity test based on comparison of clinimetric properties and mutual association to be used as "core" qualifiers for physical functioning in patients with late-onset sequelae of poliomyelitis.
Design: Repeated-measures at 3-week intervals.
Subjects: An unselected sample of 57 patients with late-onset sequelae of poliomyelitis from a prospective cohort study.
Methods: Physical functioning scales from Short Form-36 (SF36-PF), Western Ontario and McMaster Universities
Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC-PF) and Nottingham Health Profile (NHP-PM). Timed-Up-and-Go test, 10-m walking at self-preferred and maximum speed, and 2-min walk test.
Results: Test-retest reliability of SF36-PF and WOMAC-PF was good (intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) 0. 92 and 0. 89, respectively), sufficient for NHP-PM (ICC 0. 74) and exc WOMAC-PF ellent for walking tests (ICC 0. 93–0. 96). The smallest detectable changes were 18. 4 and 16. 5, respectively, for WOMAC-PF and SF36-PF, and 26. 7 for NHP-PM. The smallest detectable change was best for the 2-min walk test (22. 9 m). Correlation coefficients between questionnaires and walking tests ranged from 0. 32 to 0. 69, with the highest correlation between the SF36-PF and 2-min walk test.
Conclusion: The SF36-PF and 2-min walk test are recommended as core qualifiers for physical functioning, the major increasing disability in late-onset sequelae of poliomyelitis, to assess perceived physical performance and walking capacity in research and clinical practice.