The results support the reliability and validity of SCIM III in a multi-cultural setup. Despite several limitations of the study, the results indicate that SCIM III is an efficient measure for functional assessment of SCL patients and can be safely used for clinical and research trials, including international multi-center studies.

Background: A third version of the Spinal Cord Independence Measure (SCIM III), made up of three subscales, was formulated following comments by experts from several countries and Rasch analysis performed on the previous version. Objective: To examine the validity, reliability, and usefulness of SCIM III using Rasch analysis. Design: Multicenter cohort study. Setting: Thirteen spinal cord units in six countries from North America, Europe, and the Middle-East. Subjects: 425 patients with spinal cord lesions (SCL). Interventions: SCIM III assessments by professional staff members. Rasch analysis of admission scores. Main outcome measures: SCIM III subscale match between the distribution of item difficulty grades and the patient ability measurements; reliability of patient ability measures; fit of data to Rasch model requirements; unidimensionality of each subscale; hierarchical ordering of categories within items; differential item functioning across classes of patients and across countries. Results: Results supported the compatibility of the SCIM subscales with the stringent Rasch requirements. Average infit mean-square indices were 0.79-1.06; statistically distinct strata of abilities were 3 to 4; most thresholds between adjacent categories were properly ordered; item hierarchy was stable across most of the clinical subgroups and across countries. In a few items, however, misfit or category threshold disordering were found. Conclusions: The scores of each SCIM III subscale appear as a reliable and useful quantitative representation of a specific construct of independence after SCL. This justifies the use of SCIM in clinical research, including cross-cultural trials. The results also suggest that there is merit in further refining the scale.Spinal Cord (2007) 45, 275-291.

No abstract

Lame and sound broilers, selected from commercial flocks, were trained to discriminate between different coloured feeds, one of which contained carprofen. The two feeds were then offered simultaneously and the birds were allowed to select their own diet from the two feeds. In an initial study to assess the most appropriate concentration of drug, the plasma concentrations of carprofen were linearly related to the birds' dietary intake. The walking ability of lame birds was also significantly improved in a dose-dependent manner and lame birds tended to consume more analgesic than sound birds. In a second study, in which only one concentration of analgesic was used, lame birds selected significantly more drugged feed than sound birds, and that as the severity of the lameness increased, lame birds consumed a significantly higher proportion of the drugged feed.

No abstract