Abstract
The objective of this study was to evaluate the interobserver and test-retest reliability of the new improved Leg-O-Meter, the Leg-O-Meter II, an instrument designed to measure leg circumference. The new Leg-O-Meter consists of a tape measure fixed to a stand attached to a small board on which the patient is in standing position. Only the left limb is measured. For this study the tape measure of the Leg-O-Meter was fixed at 13 cm from the board. Subjects were recruited from patients consulting the phlebology clinic of Hôpital St-Michel, Paris, France. Thirty-nine patients were asked to participate in the test phase and a subsample of 20 patients were asked to participate in addition to a retest phase 10 minutes after their first measurement. Patients were asked to enter a closed room where four independent and blinded observers consecutively took measurements of their left calf with the Leg-O-Meter II. Twenty patients were also asked to come back 10 minutes later for a second round of measurements. While waiting, patients were seated. Variables collected included leg circumference, presence of edema, clinical presentation, and venous insufficiency treatment history. The order of the observers was randomized between patients. Under the assumption of a two-way random effects model, an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to determine the reliability of a measure with the Leg-O-Meter II as well as the test-retest reliability. The interobserver and test-retest reliabilities of the Leg-O-Meter II were 98.28% [96.90%, 100.00%] CI95% and 95.90% [92.00%, 100.00%]CI95%, respectively. The Leg-O-Meter II has higher inter observer reliability and is easier to manipulate than the previous version. In addition, it has substantive test-retest reliability.
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