Interrater reliability of the new criteria for behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia

Amanda K. La Marre, Katya Rascovsky, Alan Bostrom, Parnian Toofanian, Sarah Wilkins, Sharon J. Sha, David C. Perry, Zachary A. Miller, Georges Naasan, Robert Laforce, Jayne Hagen, Leonel T. Takada, Maria Carmela Tartaglia, Gail Kang, Douglas Galasko, David P. Salmon, Sarah Tomaszewski Farias, Berneet Kaur, John M. Olichney, Lovingly Quitania ParkMario F. Mendez, Po Heng Tsai, Edmond Teng, Bradford Clark Dickerson, Kimiko Domoto-Reilly, Scott McGinnis, Bruce L. Miller, Joel H. Kramer

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

24 Scopus citations

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the interrater reliability of the new International Behavioural Variant FTD Criteria Consortium (FTDC) criteria for behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD). Methods: Twenty standardized clinical case modules were developed for patients with a range of neurodegenerative diagnoses, including bvFTD, primary progressive aphasia (nonfluent, semantic, and logopenic variant), Alzheimer disease, and Lewy body dementia. Eighteen blinded raters reviewed the modules and 1) rated the presence or absence of core diagnostic features for the FTDC criteria, and 2) provided an overall diagnostic rating. Interrater reliability was determined by k statistics for multiple raters with categorical ratings. Results: The mean k value for diagnostic agreement was 0.81 for possible bvFTD and 0.82 for probable bvFTD ("almost perfect agreement"). Interrater reliability for 4 of the 6 core features had "substantial" agreement (behavioral disinhibition, perseverative/compulsive, sympathy/empathy, hyperorality; k = 0.61-0.80), whereas 2 had "moderate" agreement (apathy/inertia, neuropsychological; k = 0.41-0.6). Clinician years of experience did not significantly influence rater accuracy. Conclusions: The FTDC criteria show promise for improving the diagnostic accuracy and reliability of clinicians and researchers. As disease-altering therapies are developed, accurate differential diagnosis between bvFTD and other neurodegenerative diseases will become increasingly important.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1973-1977
Number of pages5
JournalNeurology
Volume80
Issue number21
DOIs
StatePublished - 21 May 2013
Externally publishedYes

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