TY - JOUR
T1 - The Walking Index for Spinal Cord Injury (WISCI/WISCI II)
T2 - Nature, metric properties, use and misuse
AU - Ditunno, J. F.
AU - Ditunno, P. L.
AU - Scivoletto, G.
AU - Patrick, M.
AU - Dijkers, M.
AU - Barbeau, H.
AU - Burns, A. S.
AU - Marino, R. J.
AU - Schmidt-Read, M.
N1 - Funding Information:
We would like to thank Gary Kaplan, Senior Information Services Librarian for Scott Memorial Library at Thomas Jefferson University, for his assistance with the literature search; and Tania Lam and Hubertus van Hedel for their review and critique of the manuscript. Dr Ditunno’s research on the Walking Index for Spinal Cord Injury has been funded in part by a grant from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR), Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), US Department of Education, Washington, DC.
Funding Information:
Study design: Literature review. Objective: To critically review all publications/internet sites that have described/used the Walking Index for Spinal Cord Injury (WISCI II), as a measure of impairment of walking function after spinal cord injury (SCI), in order to identify its psychometric properties, clarify its nature, specify misuse and incorporate the findings in an updated guide. Method: A systematic literature search was done of Ovid MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsychINFO, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Scopus and electronic sites using key words: WISCI or WISCI II, SCI, paraplegia/ tetraplegia/ quadriplegia and ambulation/gait/ walking. Among 1235 citations retrieved, 154 relevant articles/sites were identified, classified and examined by the authors; recommendations were made based on findings. Results and Discussion: The validity (face/concurrent/content/construct/convergent/criterion) and reliability of the WISCI II has been documented in clinical trials and clinical series, and considered adequate by systematic reviewers. In chronic SCI subjects, reliable determination of the maximum (as opposed to self-selected) WISCI II level requires more time and experience by the assessor. The correct use of WISCI II is clarified for testing acute/chronic phases of recovery after SCI, age of subjects, devices and settings. The WISCI II and walking speed measures may be performed simultaneously. Conclusion: The increased use of the WISCI II is attributed to its unique characteristics as a capacity measure of walking function and its strong metric properties. Appropriate use of the WISCI II was clarified and incorporated into a new guide for its use. Combining it with a walking speed measure needs further study. Sponsorship: This study was supported in part by grant #H133N000023 from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR), Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), and US Department of Education, Washington, DC. Spinal Cord (2013) 51, 346–355; doi:10.1038/sc.2013.9; published online 5 March 2013
PY - 2013/5
Y1 - 2013/5
N2 - Study design:Literature review.Objective:To critically review all publications/internet sites that have described/used the Walking Index for Spinal Cord Injury (WISCI II), as a measure of impairment of walking function after spinal cord injury (SCI), in order to identify its psychometric properties, clarify its nature, specify misuse and incorporate the findings in an updated guide.Method:A systematic literature search was done of Ovid MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsychINFO, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Scopus and electronic sites using key words: WISCI or WISCI II, SCI, paraplegia/ tetraplegia/quadriplegia and ambulation/gait/walking. Among 1235 citations retrieved, 154 relevant articles/sites were identified, classified and examined by the authors; recommendations were made based on findings.Results and Discussion:The validity (face/concurrent/content/construct/convergent/criterion) and reliability of the WISCI II has been documented in clinical trials and clinical series, and considered adequate by systematic reviewers. In chronic SCI subjects, reliable determination of the maximum (as opposed to self-selected) WISCI II level requires more time and experience by the assessor. The correct use of WISCI II is clarified for testing acute/chronic phases of recovery after SCI, age of subjects, devices and settings. The WISCI II and walking speed measures may be performed simultaneously.Conclusion:The increased use of the WISCI II is attributed to its unique characteristics as a capacity measure of walking function and its strong metric properties. Appropriate use of the WISCI II was clarified and incorporated into a new guide for its use. Combining it with a walking speed measure needs further study.Sponsorship:This study was supported in part by grant #H133N000023 from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR), Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), and US Department of Education, Washington, DC.
AB - Study design:Literature review.Objective:To critically review all publications/internet sites that have described/used the Walking Index for Spinal Cord Injury (WISCI II), as a measure of impairment of walking function after spinal cord injury (SCI), in order to identify its psychometric properties, clarify its nature, specify misuse and incorporate the findings in an updated guide.Method:A systematic literature search was done of Ovid MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsychINFO, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Scopus and electronic sites using key words: WISCI or WISCI II, SCI, paraplegia/ tetraplegia/quadriplegia and ambulation/gait/walking. Among 1235 citations retrieved, 154 relevant articles/sites were identified, classified and examined by the authors; recommendations were made based on findings.Results and Discussion:The validity (face/concurrent/content/construct/convergent/criterion) and reliability of the WISCI II has been documented in clinical trials and clinical series, and considered adequate by systematic reviewers. In chronic SCI subjects, reliable determination of the maximum (as opposed to self-selected) WISCI II level requires more time and experience by the assessor. The correct use of WISCI II is clarified for testing acute/chronic phases of recovery after SCI, age of subjects, devices and settings. The WISCI II and walking speed measures may be performed simultaneously.Conclusion:The increased use of the WISCI II is attributed to its unique characteristics as a capacity measure of walking function and its strong metric properties. Appropriate use of the WISCI II was clarified and incorporated into a new guide for its use. Combining it with a walking speed measure needs further study.Sponsorship:This study was supported in part by grant #H133N000023 from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR), Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), and US Department of Education, Washington, DC.
KW - WISCI
KW - functional capacity scale
KW - outcome measure
KW - spinal cord injury
KW - walking function
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84877576614&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1038/sc.2013.9
DO - 10.1038/sc.2013.9
M3 - Review article
C2 - 23459122
AN - SCOPUS:84877576614
VL - 51
SP - 346
EP - 355
JO - Spinal Cord
JF - Spinal Cord
SN - 1362-4393
IS - 5
ER -