Psychometric Properties of the European Evaluation of Vertigo Scale (EEV) for a Spanish-Speaking Population: A Validation Study

TL;DR

This study validates the Spanish version of the European Evaluation of Vertigo scale, showing it is reliable and accurate for assessing vestibular symptoms.

Contribution

The study provides validation of the Spanish version of the EEV scale for use in a Spanish-speaking population.

Findings

The EEV test–retest reliability was nearly perfect with a Kappa index of 0.97.

The scale showed good discriminant validity with AUC values ranging from 0.731 to 0.846 for predicting disability and BPPV.

A cut-off score of 12 predicted disability and fall risk, while 11 predicted BPPV.

Abstract

Background/Objectives: The objective of this study was to validate the Spanish version of the European Evaluation of Vertigo (EEV) and analyse its test–retest reliability, standard error of measurement (SEM), minimum detectable change (MDC), concurrent validity, and discriminant validity. Methods: A cross-sectional validation study was designed. Subjects were recruited from the Otolaryngology Service of the University Hospital of Jaen. Psychometric properties of the EEV were analysed, including the concurrent validity, the SEM, and the MDC. Discriminant validity was calculated using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Results: The EEV test–retest reliability was nearly perfect (Kappa index = 0.97). The SEM and the MDC were set at 0.56 and 1.10, respectively. Regarding the discriminant validity, the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.831 (95% CI; 0.743–0.899) for the BPPV prediction, the AUC = 0.731 (95% CI; 0.633–0.815) for the disability prediction from the ABC-16 score, and the AUC = 0.846 (95% CI; 0.760–0.911) for the disability prediction from the ABC-6 score. Furthermore, a cut-off point greater than 12 was a good predictor of disability and the fall risk measured with the ABC scale, whereas a value of 11 points was a good predictor for discriminating BPPV patients. Conclusions: The Spanish version of the EEV is a valid and reliable instrument for evaluating the clinical symptoms of vestibular syndrome. This instrument demonstrated a nearly perfect test-retest reliability, a low measurement error, and good accuracy in discriminating between patients with vestibular disorders and those with BPPV.

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