VALIDATION OF THE AMERICAN-SPINAL-INJURY-ASSOCIATION (ASIA) MOTOR SCORE AND THE NATIONAL ACUTE SPINAL-CORD INJURY STUDY (NASCIS) MOTOR SCORE

Study Design. in this study the motor scores of 62 consecutive acute s pinal cord-injured patients were retrospectively reviewed. Objective. The reliability of the American Spinal Injury Association and National Acute Spinal Cord injury Study motor scores, compared with the conven tional motor scores, was retrospectively assessed. Summary of Backgrou nd Date. The reliability of the American Spinal Injury Association and National Acute Spinal Cord injury Study scores has not as yet been co nfirmed. Methods. Sixty-two consecutive adult patients admitted within 7 days of acute spinal cord injury between April, 1983, and September , 1992, were evaluated. The motor deficit percentage and the motor rec overy percentage of each of the American Spinal Injury Association and the National Acute Spinal Cord Injury Study motor scores were compare d with those of the conventional motor score. From the initial and fin al motor score, the motor deficit percentage end motor recovery percen tage were calculated. There were 38 patients with cervical and thoraci c lesions, 12 patients with dorso-lumbar lesions, and 12 patients with lower lumbar lesions. The average follow-up period was 41 months. Res ults. Both the American Spinal injury Association motor score and the National Acute Spinal Cord injury Study motor score were representativ e of the conventional motor score for the evaluation of the motor defi cit percentage and the motor recovery percentage in all levels(P < 0.0 001). The differences in all correlation coefficients between the Amer ican Spinal injury Association motor score and the National Acute Spin al Cord injury Study motor score were not statistically significant in all levels and in every group. Conclusions. The American Spinal Injur y Association and National Acute Spinal Cord Injury Study motor scores can both be used for the neurological quantification of motor deficit and motor recovery.