Validation of the RBD Symptom Severity Scale in the North American Prodromal Synucleinopathy Consortium.
Document Type
Article
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) is a parasomnia characterized by dream enactment. The International RBD Study Group developed the RBD Symptom Severity Scale (RBDSSS) to assess symptom severity for clinical or research use. We assessed the psychometric and clinimetric properties of the RBDSSS in participants enrolled in the North American Prodromal Synucleinopathy (NAPS) Consortium for RBD.
METHODS: NAPS participants, who have polysomnogram-confirmed RBD, and their bedpartners completed the RBDSSS (participant and bedpartner versions). The RBDSSS contains 8 questions to assess the frequency and severity/impact of (1) dream content, (2) vocalizations, (3) movements, and (4) injuries associated with RBD. Total scores for participant (maximum score = 54) and bedpartner (maximum score = 38) questionnaires were derived by multiplying frequency and severity scores for each question. The Clinical Global Impression Scale of Severity (CGI-S) and RBD symptom frequency were assessed by a physician during a semistructured clinical interview with participants and, if available, bedpartners. Descriptive analyses, correlations between overall scores, and subitems were assessed, and item response analysis was performed to determine the scale's validity.
RESULTS: Among 261 study participants, the median (interquartile range) score for the RBDSSS-PT (participant) was 10 (4-18) and that for the RBDSSS-BP (bedpartner) was 8 (4-15). The median CGI-S was 3 (3-4), indicating moderate severity. RBDSSS-BP scores were significantly lower in women with RBD (6 vs 9,
DISCUSSION: We describe the RBDSSS with adequate psychometric and clinimetric properties to quantify RBD symptom severity and good concordance between participant and bedpartner questionnaires and between RBDSSS scores and clinician-assessed global severity.
Medical Subject Headings
Humans; Female; REM Sleep Behavior Disorder; Synucleinopathies; Parasomnias; Movement; North America
Publication Date
2-13-2024
Publication Title
Neurology
ISSN
1526-632X
Volume
102
Issue
3
First Page
208008
Last Page
208008
PubMed ID
38181331
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
10.1212/WNL.0000000000208008
Recommended Citation
Choudhury, Parichita; Lee-Iannotti, Joyce K; Busicescu, Andrea O; Rangan, Pooja; Fantini, Maria Livia; Avidan, Alon Y; Bliwise, Donald L; Criswell, S R; During, Emmanuel H; Elliott, Jonathan E; Fields, Julie A; Gagnon, Jean-Francois; Howell, Michael J; Huddleston, Daniel E; McLeland, Jennifer; Mignot, Emmanuel; Miglis, Mitchell G; Lim, Miranda M; Pelletier, Amélie; Schenck, Carlos H; Shprecher, David; St Louis, Erik K; Videnovic, Aleksandar; Ju, Yo-El S; Boeve, Bradley F; and Postuma, Ronald, "Validation of the RBD Symptom Severity Scale in the North American Prodromal Synucleinopathy Consortium." (2024). Neurology. 1875.
https://scholar.barrowneuro.org/neurology/1875