Table 4.

Description of interobserver measurements and reproducibility

MethodParameterSample sizeNumber of
measurements for
each observer
Median [IQR]Student’s
paired
t test
Observer 1Observer 2tp value
cTMSA-SICI1ms181816.6 [23.2]15.9 [21.8]2.110.45
A-SICI2.5ms181825.3 [23.8]40.8 [35.1]2.110.0103
A-SICI3ms181843.3 [33.1]33.7 [35.4]2.110.89
A-SICI1-3.5ms1810842.2 [27.1]b31.5 [16.5]b2.110.63
A-SICI1-7ms1816261.4 [38.2]b44.3 [21.4]b2.110.74
RMT0.2mV181854.3 [8.4]53.9 [8.8]2.110.73
TS1mV181865.9 [12.3]64.5 [14.1]2.110.46
Mean (±SE)aSDMean (±SE)aSD
TT-TMST-SICI1ms18189.4 (±2.01)8.910.5 (±1.58)6.72.110.49
T-SICI2.5ms18189.4 (±2.49)10.66.8 (±1.89)8.02.110.28
T-SICI3ms18185.5 (±2.43)10.36.9 (±2.45)10.42.110.47
T-SICI1-3.5ms181086.2 (±1.53)6.56.2 (±1.44)6.12.110.98
T-SICI1-7ms181623.1 (±1.65)7.03.6 (±1.37)5.82.120.82
RMT0.2mV181854.5 (±1.96)8.354.4 (±2.03)8.62.110.84
  • Reproducibility of interobserver measurements of A-SICI and T-SICI. Sample size n = 18 for cTMS and TT-TMS for observer 2. Calculation of statistical parameters is based on TMS measurements from observer 2 (from one TMS measurement for each subject) and the corresponding examination (by session, first examination in the session) by observer 1. A significant difference between observers was seen in A-SICI2.5ms (p = 0.0103) only. Differences were interpreted as significant at p < 0.05.

  • a Normally distributed data were arithmetically averaged to calculate mean (±SE) and SD.

  • b Point estimates for each subject were calculated as geometric means of their measurements. Data are displayed as medians with interquartile ranges [IQR] of subjects’ point estimates.