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Background: The main French language scales evaluating functioning after lower-limb amputation have not undergone exhaustive psychometric validation., Objective: A transcultural validation of the Special Interest Group in Amputee Medicine (SIGAM) mobility grades questionnaire, with 21 closed questions, as an administered questionnaire., Methods: The questionnaire translation, back-translation and original-author validation was followed by a pretest with 5 patients to check comprehension. The psychometric properties of the scale were validated with 49 patients at the definitive prosthesis stage by an investigator via telephone. Criterion validity was evaluated by comparison with the Houghton Scale score and construct validity by correlation between the questionnaire scores and convergent dimensions (performing everyday activities and performing transfers on a numerical rating scale [NRS], 2-min walk test) and divergent dimensions (managing medication and stump skin care on an NRS). Internal consistency was assessed by the Kuder-Richardson Formula 20 (KR-20) coefficient and test-retest reproducibility by the Cohen kappa coefficient., Results: The resulting questionnaire was validated by the original author after the back-translation. It showed good psychometric properties when administered by an investigator as a self-reporting questionnaire, excellent criterion validity (r=0.89, P<0.01), excellent reproducibility (kappa coefficient 0.87) and satisfactory construct validity. The KR-20 coefficient was 0.67., Conclusion: The French version of the SIGAM mobility grades questionnaire (SIGAM-Fr) has satisfactory psychometric properties and can be administered in clinical practice., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Limb amputation is followed by an important rehabilitation process, especially when a prosthesis is involved. The objective of this study is to assess the nature of factors related to health related quality of life (HRQL) of persons with limb amputation., Method: The Nottingham Health Profile (NHP) treated 1011 subjects with major amputation of one or several limbs. Correlations were sought in multivariate regression model analyses between the six categories of distress explored by the NHP and age, sex, cause and level of amputation and rehabilitation programme., Results: Response rate was 53.3%. HRQL measured by the NHP was mostly impaired in the categories of physical disability, pain and energy level. Controlling for sex and age, young age at the time of amputation, traumatic origin and upper limb amputation were independently associated with better HRQL., Conclusion: It is concluded that HRQL is largely related to factors which are inherent to the patient and the amputation.

Georges Gilles de la Tourette's contribution to neurology goes beyond the description of the neurological disorder named after him. On December 28, 1885, he defended his doctoral thesis devoted to "gait in the diseases of the nervous system, studied by the method of imprints". In collaboration with Albert Londe, he worked for two years in Charcot's department on "a simple method applicable to both healthy and unhealthy patients", establishing the scientific and modern basis of functional exploration of human gait. The purpose was to "record the modifications of the gait and to fix them permanently, using suitable devises to guarantee not only rigorous comparison, but also to prevent observers, making use of the same method, from disputing or canceling the results completely independent of the experimenter himself". Georges Gilles de la Tourette defined the various characteristic parameters and provided the normal reference values in males and females, determining the physiological asymmetry of steps. He described spastic gait, shaking palsy, and locomotor ataxia. He distinguished between disorders of nervous control and related joint diseases. He also classified gait disorders occurring during hemiplegia. Modern development of kinetic, kinematic and biomechanical studies is a good illustration of the current relevancy of Gilles de la Tourette's contribution.