Translation and Validation of the Knee Society Score - KSS for Brazilian Portuguese

OBJECTIVE To translate, culturally adapt and validate the "Knee Society Score"(KSS) for the Portuguese language and determine its measurement properties, reproducibility and validity. METHODS We analyzed 70 patients of both sexes, aged between 55 and 85 years, in a cross-sectional clinical trial, with diagnosis of primary osteoarthritis ,undergoing total knee arthroplasty surgery. We assessed the patients with the English version of the KSS questionnaire and after 30 minutes with the Portuguese version of the KSS questionnaire, done by a different evaluator. All the patients were assessed preoperatively, and again at three, and six months postoperatively. RESULTS There was no statistical difference, using Cronbach's alpha index and the Bland-Altman graphical analysis, for the knees core during the preoperative period (p =1), and at three months (p =0.991) and six months postoperatively (p =0.985). There was no statistical difference for knee function score for all three periods (p =1.0). CONCLUSION The Brazilian version of the Knee Society Score is easy to apply, as well providing as a valid and reliable instrument for measuring the knee score and function of Brazilian patients undergoing TKA. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Level I - Diagnostic Studies- Investigating a Diagnostic Test- Testing of previously developed diagnostic criteria on consecutive patients (with universally applied 'gold' reference standard).