It Is as It Was: MDS-UPDRS Part III Scores Cannot Be Combined with Other Parts to Give a Valid Sum.

BACKGROUND

Original clinimetric analyses by the Movement Disorder Society-sponsored revision of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS) developers did not confirm the validity of summing the scores of its parts. Recent studies used the summed score of Part III and other parts as efficacy outcomes.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to establish whether summing scores of MDS-UPDRS parts can be recommended.

METHODS

Using 7466 full MDS-UPDRS scores, we applied two-step factor analysis as in the original article to reassess the validity analysis with the threshold criterion set at comparative fit index ≥0.9.

RESULTS

All comparative fit indexes of any combination including Part III were lower than 0.90.

CONCLUSIONS

Summing Part III MDS-UPDRS scores with other parts is not clinimetrically sound. The MDS-UPDRS is a validated four-part scale with corresponding individual part scores and needs to be used within the limits originally presented. © 2022 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.