The Korean version of relative and absolute reliability of gait and balance assessment tools for patients with dementia in day care center and nursing home

[Purpose] This study was aimed to determine the relative and absolute reliability of Korean version tools of the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), the Timed Up and Go (TUG), the Four-Meter Walking Test (4MWT) and the Groningen Meander Walking Test (GMWT) in patients with dementia. [Subjects and Methods] A total of 53 patients with dementia were tested on TUG, BBS, 4MWT and GMWT with a prospective cohort methodological design. Intra-class Correlation Coefficients (ICCs) to assess relative reliability and the standard error of measurement (SEM), minimal detectable change (MDC(95)) and its percentage (MDC(%)) to analyze the absolute reliability were calculated. [Results] Inter-rater reliability (ICC((2,3))) of TUG, BBS and GMWT was 0.99 and that of 4MWT was 0.82. Inter-rater reliability was high for TUG, BBS and GMWT, with low SEM, MDC(95), and MDC(%). Inter-rater reliability was low for 4MWT, with high SEM, MDC(95), and MDC(%). Test-retest (ICC((2,3))) of TUG, BBS and GMWT was 0.96–0.99 and Test-retest (ICC((2,3))) of 4MWT was 0.85. The test-retest was high for TUG, BBS and GMWT, with low SEM, MDC(95), and MDC(%), but it was low for 4MWT, with high SEM, MDC(95), and MDC(%). [Conclusion] The relative reliability was high for all the assessment tools. The absolute reliability has a reasonable level of stability except the 4MWT.