Patient-Powered Reporting of Modified Rankin Scale Outcomes Via the Internet.

Overview

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The modified Rankin Scale (mRS) is a common and resource-intensive measure of functional outcome in stroke-related conditions. In this observational prospective cohort feasibility study, mRS scores are generated using a patient-powered online survey and compared to scores obtained by structured telephonic interview. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-one patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) or their surrogates responded to an online survey following discharge from the hospital. These responses were used to generate an mRS score and then compared to blinded telephonic assessments by trained personnel. A weighted kappa (Kw) with confidence intervals (CIs) was calculated. RESULTS: The Kw between the patient/surrogate and the trained personnel scores was 0.85 (95% CI, 0.74-0.95, P < .001). CONCLUSION: This study provides first evidence that patient/surrogate survey responses may be an efficient and reliable alternative to generate mRS scores compared to trained personnel after SAH.