Profile Pd

Abstract

Background and Purpose Individuals with Parkinson disease (PD) experience a range of deficits of body systems and activities. A clinical test is needed that is reliable, valid, applicable to physical therapist practice, and appropriate for use in early and mid-stages of the disease. PROFILE PD is one such scale, consisting of 24 items that would typically be assessed during the physical therapist's examination and evaluation of individuals with PD. The purpose of this paper is to report on clinimetric properties of the PROFILE PD and to make the test available for use. Methods Inter-rater reliability was determined using the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC). Construct validity was determined by comparing scores on the PROFILE PD with the gold standard (UPDRS) as well as scales of physical activity and participation. Construct validity and structure of the PROFILE PD were further examined using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) with Promax rotation which allows a correlated factor structure. Results Inter-rater reliability was estimated as 0.97. Construct validity was demonstrated with the UPDRS (r = 0.86, p < 0.0001), Schwab & England Activities of Daily Living Scale (S&E) (r = -0.83, p < 0.0001), and Continuous Scale Physical Functional Performance test (CS-PFP) (r = -0.62, p < 0.0001). PCA demonstrated a that the test comprises a single scale. Conclusions The PROFILE PD is a reliable and valid scale that can be used to quantify alterations in body systems and activity of individuals in early and mid-stages of PD. Use of the scale can provide an overall summary of the impact of PD on body systems and activities.