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Classification of Complex Features of Febrile Seizures: Interrater Agreement
Author(s) -
Berg Anne T.,
Steinschneider Mitchell,
Kang Harriet,
Shinnar Shlomo
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
epilepsia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.687
H-Index - 191
eISSN - 1528-1167
pISSN - 0013-9580
DOI - 10.1111/j.1528-1157.1992.tb02344.x
Subject(s) - inter rater reliability , context (archaeology) , convulsion , kappa , cohen's kappa , psychology , medicine , febrile seizure , epilepsy , agreement , pediatrics , psychiatry , developmental psychology , rating scale , statistics , paleontology , linguistics , philosophy , mathematics , biology
Summary: As part of a prospective study of febrile seizures, three independent pediatric neurologists rated each of 100 febrile seizures for the presence of complex features: focality, long duration (≥10 min), and occurrence of multiple seizures. Seizure descriptions were assembled from all information available in the medical record and from a semistructured interview of a person who had witnessed the seizure. Interrater agreement assessed by kappa indicated excellent agreement with regard to whether the seizures were multiple or prolonged (kappa ≥ 0.85) and fair to good agreement with regard to focality (kappa = 0.61–0.78). Disagreement occurred most often regarding assessment of focality. Reasons for disagreement included variation in interpretation of lateral eye deviation, staring episodes, and motor asymmetries in the context of a bilateral convulsion.