LIVERPOOL-SEIZURE-SEVERITY-SCALE REVISITED

The purpose of the study was to examine the psychometric properties of the revised Liverpool Seizure Severity Scale. The scale has been adap ted to increase its content validity and its potential for detecting c hange attributable to antiepileptic drug treatment. Ninety-seven patie nts completed the revised scale of which 32 completed it for both majo r and minor seizures. Reliability of the revised scale was conducted u sing assessment of internal consistency and test-retest. T-tests were conducted to assess the ability of patients to differentiate between m ajor and minor seizures on scores of the seizure-severity scale. The p sychometric properties of the scale were not adversely affected by eit her the increase in the number of items or the additional response sco res. Patients completing the two scales of major and minor seizures we re able to reliably differentiate between the two. We have attempted t o improve the Liverpool Seizure Severity Scale in order to enhance its reliability, validity and sensitivity to change. The amendments we ha ve made have not adversely affected its psychometric properties and we hope that it will make it more acceptable for use in clinical trials of new antiepileptic drug treatment. The revised scale is currently be ing applied to a number of clinical trials.