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667 - Internal consistency and floor/ceiling effect of QuickDASH among people with carpal tunnel syndrome

Thursday, February 27, 2025

5:00 PM - 6:30 PM MST

Presenting Author(s)

AM

Annika Miikkulainen, MD

MD
Turku University
Turku, Varsinais-Suomi, Finland

Co-Author(s)

MS

Mikhail Saltychev, MD

Professor
Turku University
Turku, Varsinais-Suomi, Finland
SW

Sara Widbom-Kolhanen, MD

MD, PhD
Turku University
Pori, Satakunta, Finland
HT

Hanna-Stiina Taskinen, MD

MD, PhD
Turku University
Turku, Varsinais-Suomi, Finland

Objectives: The objective of this study was to explore the internal consistency and floor/ceiling effect of Quick Disability of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand Questionnaire (QuickDASH) among carpal tunnel patients. The sample consisted of 1,597 carpal tunnel patients who visited university hospital hand surgery clinic between February 14, 2019 and June 3, 2024.

Design: This was a retrospective cross-sectional register-based study. The internal consistency of the QuickDASH was assessed with Cronbach’s alpha. Alpha ≥ 0.9 was considered excellent, ≥ 0.8 good, ≥ 0.7 acceptable, ≥ 0.6 questionable ≥ 0.5 poor and < 0.5 unacceptable. For each QuickDASH item, floor effect was considered present if over 15 % of the respondents scored 5 points. Respectively, ceiling effect was considered present if over 15 % of the respondents scored one point.

Results:

The mean age of 1,597 patients was 55 (SD=16.3) years, the mean BMI was 29 (SD=6.3) kg/m2.

Of respondents, 896 (56%) were women. 533 (92%) had right dominant hand and 36 (6%) had left dominant hand and 13 (2%) were ambidextrous.

Mean QuickDASH score was 38 (SD 23.2 %).

QuickDASH demonstrated an excellent internal consistency with an alpha of 0.92 (95 % CI 0.92 to 0.93).

 A significant ceiling effect was observed in 9 of the 11 QuickDASH questions, items varying from 20% to 51%. One question had significant floor effect with item 16 %.

Conclusions:

The Finnish translation of the QuickDASH has excellent internal consistency among carpal tunnel patients. As such, the QuickDASH can be used as an easy and fast questionnaire instrument for studying upper limb disability.

QuickDASH may have remarkable ceiling effect when disability is low, and this raises a question whether QuickDASH is sufficiently sensitive among people with mild disability levels.