The American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM) is pleased to announce that a revised and updated version the International Knee Documentation Committee Subjective Knee Form (IKDC SKF) can be administered as a computer adaptive test or 8-item short form that is now available through PROMIS HealthMeasures and REDCap. This milestone expands access and minimizes the burden of administration of one of the most widely used knee-specific patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) in orthopaedics and sports medicine, making it easier for clinicians and researchers to collect and use IKDC SKF data.
Availability through PROMIS HealthMeasures and REDCap offers several important benefits, including:
- Simplified and quicker electronic data collection with automated scoring and longitudinal tracking
- Expanded bank of IKDC SKF questions with improved item clarity, relevance and content coverage
- Use of item response theory (IRT) to calibrate the item bank that permits administration of the IKDC SKF as a computer adaptive test or an 8-item short form
- Improved data quality through reduced manual entry and fewer missing responses
- Standardized administration and scoring across clinical and research settings
- Enhanced opportunities for multicenter research and data sharing
- Integration with PROMIS measures to assess both knee-specific outcomes and overall health
Inspired by the late Dr. Allen F. Anderson MD and with funding by AOSSM and The Aircast Foundation, Dr. James Irrgang PT, PhD, FAPTA and his colleagues at the University of Pittsburgh completed a review and update of the IKDC SKF that 1) examined the clarity and relevance of the existing IKDC SKF items, 2) identified gaps in content that were important to individuals with a wide range of knee conditions including ligament injuries, meniscus tears, cartilage disorders and osteoarthritis and 3) used existing and newly collected data to explore the fit of a graded response IRT model. Application of IRT enabled the creation of a computer adaptive version of the IKDC SKF and development of a short form to improve the efficiency of administration and precision of the IKDC SKF. All of the methodology utilized to review and update the IKDC was consistent with standards established by the Patient Reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS). The end result of this review and update of the IKDC SKF was the creation of a 32-item bank that fits a graded response IRT model that could be implemented as a 4 to 8-item computer adaptive test or 8-item short form, both of which have had acceptable levels of measurement precision.
Dr. Irrgang shared, “The computer adaptive version of the revised and updated IKDC SKF has the potential to greatly reduce the time and burden associated with data collection without sacrificing the precision of the measure. Further testing of the IKDC SKF CAT in comparison to the original IKDC SKF is ongoing to determine the efficiencies that are gained.”
Based on this rigorous review and update of the IKDC SKF, the calibrated IKDC SKF item bank was accepted for inclusion in the HealthMeasures PROMIS API (Application Programing Interface) for administration as a computer adaptive test that measures knee-related physical function and symptoms during activities of daily living for individuals with a variety of conditions affecting the knee, including ligament, meniscus and cartilage injuries, patellofemoral pain and osteoarthritis. The IKDC SKF CAT scores are normalized to a scale with a mean of 50 and standard deviation 10 with higher scores indicating higher levels of physical function and fewer symptoms during daily living including sports over the past week.
The computer adaptive test version of the IKDC SKF on the HealthMeasures API can be accessed through the Research Electronic Data Capture System (REDCap). For those that cannot access the HealthMeasures PROMIS API, an 8-item short form and scoring table based on the IRT-calibrated IKDC SKF item bank can also be downloaded.
As with the original IKDC SKF, the revised and updated IKDC SKF can be used to establish baseline patient status, monitor recovery and rehabilitation, evaluate treatment outcomes, and support clinical research and quality improvement initiatives. Its ease of use and ability to generate a single, comprehensive score make it particularly well suited for electronic PROM collection systems.
AOSSM extends its gratitude to the members of the International Knee Documentation Committee and to Dr. James Irrgang of the University of Pittsburgh for their leadership in the development, validation, and continued evolution of this important health outcomes measure.
“This is a landmark achievement for AOSSM and for the field of sports medicine outcomes research. The IKDC Subjective Knee Form has long been one of the most trusted and widely used measures in orthopaedics and sports medicine, and making this updated version available through PROMIS HealthMeasures and REDCap will make it easier for clinicians and researchers to collect meaningful, high-quality knee outcomes data across practices and institutions. I want to express my sincere gratitude to Dr. James Irrgang and his colleagues at the University of Pittsburgh, the International Knee Documentation Committee, The Aircast Foundation, and the many AOSSM leaders whose vision and work helped bring this effort forward. This milestone not only honors the legacy of Dr. Allen Anderson, but also further solidifies AOSSM’s position as a premier leader in sports medicine research, collaboration, and patient-centered outcomes.”
-Eric McCarty, MD