VALIDITY, RELIABILITY, AND SENSITIVITY TO CHANGE OF A FRENCH VERSION OF THE ARTHRITIS IMPACT MEASUREMENT SCALES-2 (AIMS2) IN PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS TREATED WITH METHOTREXATE

Objective, To develop and validate a cross cultural version of the Art hritis Impact Measurement Scales 2 (AIMS2) to be used by French speaki ng populations. Methods, A French version of the AIMS:! was obtained u sing back translation, committee review, and pretesting. The French AI MS2 was studied in 127 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) about t o receive therapy with methotrexate (MTX). Construct validity of the q uestionnaire was assessed by factor analysis. Convergent validity was evaluated by correlation coefficients with joint counts, pain assessme nt, and sedimentation rate. Reliability was assessed by test-retest pr ocedure at a 10-day interval, Cronbach's coefficients of internal cons istency, and within scale factor analyses. Sensitivity to change after 12 and 24 weeks of therapy with MTX was assessed with computation of standardized response means (SRM) and paired t test comparisons. Resul ts, Factor analyses of the French version clearly identified the same scales of the AIMS2, except for the walking and bending scale which lo aded on several factors. Convergent validity of the physical and sympt om components of the instrument was demonstrated by significant correl ations with clinical and laboratory features. All the scales were reli able (intraclass correlation coefficients: 0.65 to 0.90; percentage of explained variance larger than 50% in all but one scale; Cronbach's a lpha: 0.70 to 0.90). Sensitivity to change was demonstrated in 11 of t he 12 scales (SRM: 0.30 to 0.77). Most of the improvement was noted by Week 12. Conclusions, This cross cultural adaptation of AIMS2 in Fren ch is valid, reliable, and responsive in patients with RA in whom MTX therapy is instituted. It would permit international comparison studie s. This study provides evidence for construct validity and responsiven ess of the original version of the AIMS2, not demonstrated previously.