Method: We compared performance in an Italian telephone version of the Mini-Mental Status Examination (Itel-MMSE) with performance in the standard MMSE administered face to face to 104 inpatients affected by cognitive deficit.
Results: Their cognitive ability varied from mildly to severely impaired. Total scores of the two MMSE versions correlated strongly for all patients (r=0.85) and for very mildly (r=0.77), mildly (r=0.79), and moderately (r=0.72) demented. A weak but statistically significant correlation was observed for severely demented patients (r=0.46). The study establishes the validity and reliability of the Itel-MMSE as well as between rater and test-retest reliability. We calculated a regression equation for use in predicting MMSE scores from Itel-MMSE scores. Data fit a linear regression model.
Copyright 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.