Perme ICU Mobility Score (Perme Score) and the ICU Mobility Scale (IMS): translation and cultural adaptation for the Spanish language

INTRODUCTION: The scales to measure functional mobility in critically ill patients were developed and validated in English, there is a need for these tools in Spanish speaking countries. OBJECTIVE: To perform translation, cultural adaptation and inter-rater reliability of the Spanish versions of the Perme Intensive Care Unit Mobility Score and IMS tools in ICU patients. METHODS: Translation and validation study between November 2016 and July 2017, following the COSMIN Protocol's recommendations. Two couples of physiotherapists with the role of observer/rater applied both scales in 150 patients upon admission and discharge of a medical-surgical ICU from a private hospital in Colombia. The sample size was defined taking into account the lowest proportion of reported agreement (68.57%), a Kappa index of 0.2784 or higher to ensure that the calculated n was adequate, and a confidence level of 95% RESULTS: Translation and cultural adaptation were performed, the final version of both scales in Spanish was approved by the authors. The sample was 150 patients, 52% were men, the average age was 58 ± 17 years, invasive mechanical ventilation was present in 63 (42%) of the cases. Inter-rater reliability of the ICU Mobility Scale was between 0.97 and 1.00, and for the Perme Intensive Care Unit the Mobility Score it was between 0.99 and 1 in the two moments of the measurements. CONCLUSIONS: Both scales were translated and culturally adapted and presented excellent inter-rater reliability in the two pairs of raters (rater/observer).