Measurement properties of the Berg Balance Scale and the Timed Up Go Test in patients hospitalized for brain tumor treatment

Objective: To analyze the reliability and the convergent and discriminative validity of the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and the Timed Up and Go (TUG) in patients hospitalized for brain tumor treatment. Methods: We performed a prospective observational study, including patients diagnosed with brain tumors from a tertiary referral hospital in Salvador, Brazil. The BBS and the TUG were used to assess balance and functional mobility, respectively. To assess the inter-examiner reliability the instruments were applied by two independent evaluators on the same day, while for the intra-examiner reliability, each individual was assessed twice by the same evaluator within a period of 7 to 14 days. The convergent and discriminative validation were analyzed by comparing both instruments with the Modified Barthel Index (MBI). Results: Forty-three patients were assessed and an excellent inter-rater reliability was observed for both the TUG and the BBS, with ICC=0.981 (p<0.001) and ICC= 0.995 (p<0.001), respectively. Intra-rater reliability was classified as good for the BBS (ICC= 0.74; p<0.001) and for the TUG (ICC= 0.779; p<0.001). Both instruments converged to MBI (BBS Rho= 0.85; p<0.001; TUG Rho= -0.70; p<0.001) and both were also proper of discriminating individuals according to their level of functional dependence (p<0.001). Conclusion: The BBS and TUG are valid for assessing balance and functional mobility in individuals hospitalized for brain tumor treatment.