E2 ModerateModerate confidencePEM not requiredCross-SectionalPeer-reviewedMachine draft
Development and Validation of the Short Form (JAEN-10) of the Joint Assessment of Equilibrium and Neuromotor Status Scale (JAEN-20).
Peinado-Rubia, Ana Belén, Osuna-Pérez, María Catalina, Núñez-Fuentes, David et al. · Journal of functional morphology and kinesiology · 2024 · DOI
Quick Summary
Researchers created a shorter version of a balance and movement test (JAEN-10) to measure physical problems in people with fibromyalgia. The new 10-question test works just as well as the original 20-question version but takes less time to complete, which is helpful for people who get tired easily. The test successfully identified people with fibromyalgia and those at risk of falling.
Why It Matters
Many ME/CFS patients experience balance problems, dizziness, and postural difficulties similar to those seen in fibromyalgia. A validated, shorter assessment tool reduces patient fatigue burden during clinical evaluation while maintaining diagnostic accuracy—a critical consideration for conditions where exertion worsens symptoms. This work may inform development of efficient assessment methods for neuromotor dysfunction across related conditions.
Observed Findings
- The 10-item JAEN scale showed strong internal consistency (Cronbach alpha 0.904) and a two-factor structure explaining 72% of variance.
- The JAEN-10 achieved AUC of 0.858 (sensitivity 64.29%, specificity 95.45%) for discriminating fibromyalgia patients from healthy controls.
- The JAEN-10 achieved AUC of 0.835 (sensitivity 90.48%, specificity 67.24%) for discriminating fallers from non-fallers.
- Strong concurrent validity was demonstrated with measures of quality of life, postural balance, and dizziness-related disability.
Inferred Conclusions
- The JAEN-10 is a valid and efficient alternative to the 20-item version with comparable psychometric properties.
- The shortened assessment tool is particularly suitable for populations with fatigue, as it reduces administration burden while maintaining discriminative power.
- The JAEN-10 can reliably identify both fibromyalgia diagnosis and fall risk in affected populations.
Remaining Questions
- Does the JAEN-10 perform similarly in men and diverse age groups beyond the studied female population?
- Can the JAEN-10 be validated in ME/CFS patients and other post-viral fatigue conditions where similar neuromotor symptoms occur?
- What is the longitudinal stability and responsiveness of the JAEN-10 to treatment interventions?
What This Study Does Not Prove
This study does not establish whether the JAEN-10 works equally well in men, other age groups, or patients with ME/CFS specifically—only in women with fibromyalgia. The cross-sectional design cannot determine causality or whether balance dysfunction is primary or secondary to other disease mechanisms. Results cannot be generalized to other neurological or post-viral conditions without further validation.
Tags
Symptom:PainFatigue
Method Flag:Weak Case DefinitionSmall Sample
Metadata
- DOI
- 10.3390/jfmk9040223
- PMID
- 39584876
- Review status
- Machine draft
- Evidence level
- Single-study or moderate support from human research
- Last updated
- 8 April 2026
About the PEM badge: “PEM required” means post-exertional malaise was an explicit required diagnostic criterion for participant inclusion in this study — not that PEM was studied, observed, or discussed. Studies using criteria that do not require PEM (e.g. Fukuda, Oxford) are tagged “PEM not required”. How the atlas works →
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