Validation of Urdu Version of the Low Anterior Resection Syndrome (LARS) Score

The objective of this study  was to validate the Urdu version of the LARS score. The translation process was carried out in a fashion outlined by the original authors of the LARS score after obtaining proper permission. The validation of the translated version included the assessment of its reliability, convergent and discrim inant validities, internal consistency, and confirmatory analyses. A total of 60 patients were enrolled in the study with a 95% power of study. The translated questionnaire was initially administered to a random subgroup of patients to verify the adequacy and degree of comprehension of questions. Th en reproducibility was investigated by a test–retest procedure. An analysis was then done to determine the correlation between Urdu LARS score and a quality of life related question that was included along with the questionnaire. The Urdu version of the LARS score demonstrates a high convergent va lidity in terms of its correlation with self-reported quality of life. It also demonstrated its efficacy to discriminate between clinical variables expected to differ with regards to LARS. There was almost perfect agreement in the test and retest values demonstrating good reliability across all inst ruments. The Urdu version of the LARS score has proven to be a reliable and a valid tool for measuring LARS in the Urdu speaking population of the Indian subcontinent.
Source: Indian Journal of Surgical Oncology - Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research