J Korean Neurol Assoc.  2002 Nov;20(6):612-617.

The Validity of the Korean Version of Global Deterioration Scale

• Choi SH
• Na DL
• Lee BH
• Hahm DS
• Jeong JH
• Jeong Y
• Koo EJ
• Ha CK
• Ahn SS
• Korean Dementia Research Group

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Clinicians broadly accept the Global Deterioration Scale (GDS) as a staging measure for dementia. The aim of this study is to test the inter-rater reliability and concurrent validity of the Korean version of GDS.
METHODS
Participants included 34 subjects without dementia and 41 patients with Alzheimer's disease, in addition to 37 patients with vascular dementia. A rater, using a semi-structured clinical interview, interviewed the participants and their informed collateral sources. To obtain the concurrent validity, all participants received the Korean Mini-Mental State Examination (K-MMSE), the Korean version of Syndrome Kurz Test (K-SKT) and a 15-items abbreviated Korean-Boston Naming Test (K-BNT) on the same day. We also tested the inter-rater reliability among the four raters using a videotape design.
RESULTS
The agreements of the overall GDS ratings by the four raters were high (kappa, 0.93-1.0). GDS correlated significantly with K-MMSE, K-SKT, and the abbreviated K-BNT and Clinical Dementia Rating scale.
CONCLUSION
The Korean version of GDS may be a reliable and valid tool to be used as a staging measure for Korean patients with Alzheimer's disease as well as vascular dementia.

Keyword

GDS; Dementia; Validity; Alzheimer's disease; Vascular dementia

MeSH Terms

Alzheimer Disease
Dementia
Dementia, Vascular
Humans
Videotape Recording