Reliability, Validity and Temporal Stability of the Serbian Version of the Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire.

Background and Objectives : The aim of this study was to validate the Serbian version of the Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire (BCTQ) and to evaluate temporal stability for the purpose of its implementation in the evaluation of Serbian patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). Materials and Methods : For the validation of the Serbian version of the BCTQ (BCTQ SR ), we tested 69 individuals with diagnosed CTS that were referred for a conservative treatment at the Institute for Rehabilitation. Neurophysiological tests were used for the electrophysiological grading (EG) of CTS severity in the study sample. The final version of the BCTQ SR was given to the tested participants from the study on two occasions: test and retest, with a five-day period between the two measurements. Results : The mean value for the symptom severity subscale (SSS) of the BCTQ SR was 3.01 ± 0.94; for the functional status subscale (FSS) of the BCTQ SR it was 2.85 ± 1.00. Cronbach's α for the SSS was 0.91 and 0.93 for the FSS. The intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) concerning the test-retest were significant ( p < 0.001) and were 0.949 for the SSS and 0.959 for the FSS. Those with a higher EG grade had higher values of the SSS and FSS but without a statistical significance ( p = 0.103 and p = 0.053, respectively). The intercorrelation of the BCTQ SR subscales (SSS and FSS) on the test was significant ( p < 0.001) with a correlation coefficient equal to 0.777. Conclusion : The Serbian version of the BCTQ (BCTQ SR ) was successfully culturally adopted. The BCTQ SR was a valid and reliable instrument for the measurement of symptom severity and functional status in adults with CTS. Therefore, it can be used in clinical practice for patients with CTS.