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Hybrid scale measures health-related quality of life across various chronic esophageal conditions
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Researchers have developed and validated the Northwestern Esophageal Quality of Life scale, a hybrid measure of disease-specific health-related quality of life that can be used across several chronic esophageal conditions.
“The [Northwestern Esophageal Quality of Life] is an easy-to-use, valid measure of esophageal [health-related quality of life] that addresses concerns related to existing measures, capturing domains specific to several diseases of the esophagus while delineating [health-related quality of life] from symptom severity,” John Pandolfino, MD, from the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, and colleagues wrote.
John Pandolfino
Following FDA guidelines for patient-reported outcome development, the research team evaluated existing health-related quality of life measures and consolidated them into one single questionnaire. Then they solicited responses from patients with chronic esophageal conditions such as GERD, eosinophilic esophagitis, achalasia, dysphagia and Barrett’s esophagus. The researchers also conducted individual structured cognitive interviews to refine and reduce the items.
Patients were aged 18 to 70 years and were recruited from a university-based outpatient gastroenterology practice as well as through a research-dedicated website. A total of 212 patients completed the questionnaire, and 15 patients completed cognitive interviews.
The researchers began with a 30-item measure, but after items were removed through the process, a 14-item measure made up the newly developed Northwestern Esophageal Quality of Life scale.
The scale was found to be a reliable and valid measure of disease-specific health-related quality of life for patients with GERD, EoE, achalasia, dysphagia, and BE; however, more research is warranted, the researchers wrote.
“This study took established disease-specific esophageal [health-related quality of life] measures and consolidated them into a 14-item survey that allows for rapid assessment in a clinical setting or cross-disease comparisons in a research study” the researchers wrote. “Measures of internal consistency, split half reliability, test–retest reliability, and construct validity were at or above established guidelines for scale development.” – by Suzanne Reist
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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