The Italian cross-cultural adaptations of the paediatric International Knee Documentation Committee Score and the Hospital for Special Surgery Paediatric Functional Activity Brief Scale are reliable instruments in paediatric population.

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to translate, cross-culturally adapt, and assess the psychometric properties of the Pedi-IKDC and Pedi-FABS scores in the Italian paediatric population with various knee pathologies. In accordance with the Paediatric Anterior Cruciate Ligament Monitoring Initiative (PAMI) research protocol, the original English versions of the questionnaires were translated into Italian. All patients aged 8-16 and scheduled for knee surgery were considered eligible in the study. An open-source platform was implemented to collect responses to the surveys which included general patient information, the questionnaires Pedi-IKDC, and Pedi-FABS. Two surveys were sent under stable clinical conditions before surgery (Q₁ and Q₂); a third survey was sent 3-4 months after surgery (Q₃). The following properties were calculated: reliability, internal consistency, criterion validity, responsiveness, and floor/ceiling effects. Eighty-nine patients completed Q₁, 81 patients completed Q₂, and 49 patients completed Q₃. Both questionnaires demonstrated acceptable properties. Pedi-IKDC: standard error of measurement (SEM) = 4.4, smallest detectable change (SDC) = 12.3, interclass correlation coefficient (ICC) = 0.96, Cronbach alpha (α) = 0.92, moderate-to-low correlation to Pedi-FABS, effect size (ES) = 0.79, standardized response mean (SRM) = 0.86, floor = 0%, ceiling = 22%. Pedi-FABS: SEM = 2.1, SDC = 5.8, ICC = 0.94, Cronback alpha (α) = 0.93, moderate-to-low correlation to Pedi-IKDK, ES = 0.60, SRM = 0.51, floor = 19%, ceiling = 0%. The Italian version of Pedi-IKDC and Pedi-FABS is valuable tools for patient assessment, by demonstrating good psychometric properties. In clinical setting, these questionnaires can be used to properly evaluate outcomes in Italian pediatric patients with knee pathologies. II.