Disease Quality Of Life Questionnaire Research Articles

Validation of the Spanish version of the Liver Disease Quality of Life questionnaire in transplant patients

Objectives Our aim was to validate Spanish and Catalan versions of the Liver Disease Quality of Life questionnaire (LDQOL) for use in liver transplant patients. Methods The LDQOL consists of the SF-36 generic measure of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and 12 disease-specific dimensions for liver disease patients. The Spanish and Catalan versions of the questionnaire were administered to 138 patients with a liver transplant. Cronbach's alpha coefficients (CAC) were used to test the internal consistency of disease-specific scales. Test-retest reliability was calculated using the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) in a sub-group of 41 patients who completed the questionnaire on two occasions 1 to 2 weeks apart. Validity was analysed by determining the instrument's capacity to discriminate between patient groups classified according to years since transplant, disease etiology, and symptom severity. Ceiling and floor effects were also calculated. Results Internal consistency in the disease-specific dimensions was acceptable or good (CACs 0.60–0.97), as was test-retest reliability in all dimensions (statistically significant CCIs of 0.62–0.89), except the symptoms dimension (CCI = 0.46, P < .05). Few differences were found in disease-specific dimension scores between patients classified according to number of years since transplant or etiology, but differences were found in some dimensions according to symptom severity. Moderate to severe ceiling effects were found in several disease-specific dimensions. Conclusions The Spanish and Catalan versions of the LDQOL may be useful for measuring HRQOL in this population, though it will be important to investigate further the instrument's sensitivity to change.

Development of a quality-of-life assessment for the allergic child or teenager with multisystem allergic disease

Background: Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) questionnaires currently being used to evaluate allergic disease are organ-specific. They therefore fail to take account of the systemic aspects of allergic disease. Objective: To develop and validate a pediatric HRQOL questionnaire for allergic disease (Pediatric Allergic Disease Quality of Life Questionnaire, PADQLQ) that encapsulates problems related to the eyes, ears, nose, lungs, skin, emotions, and everyday activities. Methods: In the development phase, 77 subjects (6 to 16 years of age), with seasonal or perennial allergic problems, were asked how much they were bothered by each different area of HRQOL impairment. The highest scoring areas were used to construct the PADQLQ. In the validation phase of the study, 36 subjects (8 to 16 years of age) with seasonal allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, seasonal allergic asthma, and/or cutaneous manifestations of grass pollen allergy were assessed before and during the pollen season. Results: The PADQLQ contains 26 questions. In addition to standard symptoms (eg, rhinitis), it incorporates multiorgan symptoms that are usually overlooked (eg, hearing problems). The PADQLQ demonstrated good cross-sectional and longitudinal validity, showing a high degree of correlation with symptom scores and quality of life as measured by a visual analogue scale and two-organ specific questionnaires. The PADQLQ showed good within-subject reliability and a small minimal important difference (0.33; 95% CI, 0.11 to 0.54 on a 7-point scale). Conclusions: The PADQLQ has good cross-sectional and longitudinal validity, making it a potentially useful outcome measure in the evaluation of systemic treatments such as antihistamine medications and immunotherapy in children with multisystem allergic disease. (J Allergy Clin Immunol 2003;111:491-7.)

Early quality of life benefits of icodextrin in peritoneal dialysis

Early quality of life benefits of icodextrin in peritoneal dialysis. The impact of new therapies on patient quality of life (QOL) is emerging as an important indicator of the value of these therapies. In patients on dialysis, previous QOL evaluations have focused mainly on comparative approaches between modalities, or on longitudinal trends within a modality, but few have evaluated technical innovations or introduction of new therapies. The aim of the present study was to assess the early effects of a new dialysis solution (icodextrin) on the QOL of peritoneal dialysis patients. The QOL is compared with that of patients on dextrose, and the impact of demographic, and clinical characteristics on patients' QOL is examined. The kidney disease quality of life questionnaire (KDQOL) was administered to patients who participated in a phase III double-blind, parallel group, active-controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a peritoneal dialysis (PD) solution containing icodextrin in comparison with dextrose PD solution. A total of 93 patients (58 icodextrin, and 35 dextrose) completed the questionnaire at both baseline and after 13 weeks. In addition to patients QOL, patients' demographic and clinical characteristics were recorded at both baseline and 13 weeks. Mean change scores from baseline to 13 weeks of icodextrin patients were substantially higher (> or =5) than dextrose, particularly with respect to general health perception, physical functioning, role-physical, and many KDQOL symptom items such as lack of strength, washed out or drained, lack of appetite, faintness or dizziness, dry skin, cramps after an exchange or treatment, cramps during an exchange or treatment, and muscle spasms or twitching. At 13 weeks, icodextrin patients had significantly improved symptoms, and rated their health in general higher than those patients in the dextrose group. Upon multivariate analysis, icodextrin contributed significantly to the improvement of patients' mental health, general health, and symptoms such as muscle spasms or twitching, cramps during an exchange or treatment, cramps after an exchange or treatment, itchy skin, and faintness or dizziness. Peritoneal dialysis patients treated with icodextrin experienced substantial quality of life improvement at 13 weeks after the start of treatment when compared to dextrose patients. Further research is necessary to determine patients' quality of life over time in a longitudinal study setting.

Clinical outcomes and Quality of Life in Elderly Patients on Peritoneal Dialysis versus Hemodialysis

To compare clinical outcomes and quality of life (QOL) in elderly patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD) and hemodialysis (HD) in the North Thames Dialysis Study. A 12-month prospective cohort study. Four hospital-based renal units in London, UK. 174 patients that were 70 years or older at the start of dialysis, separated into two cohorts: 78 new patients (36 PD, 42 HD) that were recruited after 90 days of chronic dialysis; and 96 stock patients (42 PD, 54 HD) that were already on dialysis during the recruitment period. 12-month survival and hospitalization rate, and QOL assessed at baseline and at 6 and 12 months by the SF-36 and the Symptoms/Problems scale of the Kidney Disease Quality of Life Questionnaire (KDQOL). Peritoneal dialysis and HD patients were similar for sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. Annual mortality and hospitalization rates in PD versus HD patients were 26.1 versus 26.4 deaths/100 person-years and 1.9 versus 2.0 admissions/person-year, respectively. Adjusted relative risks showed no effect of modality on clinical outcomes. Multiple linear regression analyses of QOL at baseline showed similar SF-36 scores between PD and HD patients, but higher KDQOL scores in PD patients (3.5 points higher, 95% confidence interval 0.3-6.6). There was, however, no effect of dialysis modality on QOL at 6 or 12 months. Clinical outcomes and QOL are similar in elderly people on PD and HD. Peritoneal dialysis is a viable option for more than a carefully selected minority of elderly people requiring dialysis.

Health related quality of life in Parkinson's disease: a systematic review of disease specific instruments

Objective: To compare and contrast disease-specific quality of life instruments in Parkinson's disease and assess their clinimetric properties. Methods: Two reviewers independently evaluated both thoroughness and results of studies regarding...

Predictors of health care use in patients with Parkinson's disease: a longitudinal study.

To predict health care use in patients with Parkinson's disease. The health care use of 235 patients with Parkinson's disease was studied twice over the course of 1 year. Use consisted of visits to the neurologist and general practitioner (GP) and use of a physiotherapist, a psychotherapist, or home care nurse. The effects of both prior and concurrent sociodemographic, disease-related, and psychosocial characteristics on health care use were examined. Patients who were living with others and patients with private health insurance paid significantly (p <0.01) more visits to their neurologists. For visits to the general practitioner, disease severity and poor quality of life, as measured by the Parkinson's Disease Quality of Life questionnaire (PDQL), were the most important predictors. Other sociodemographic and disease-related characteristics, such as age, gender, and disease duration, were not related to doctor visits. Physiotherapy was associated with disease severity and poor quality of life. Lack of social support, depression, and poor quality of life were correlated with psychotherapy, whereas age, female gender, living alone, disease severity, and disease duration were related to use of a home care nurse. The number of visits to a neurologist by patients with PD is not associated with disease severity or quality of life impairment, but only with sociodemographic characteristics. Nonmedical care is predicted by disease severity and psychosocial characteristics. The consequences for care and costs are discussed.

Measuring the impact of Parkinson's disease with the Parkinson's Disease Quality of Life questionnaire.

To assess the validity of the Parkinson's Disease Quality of Life (PDQL) questionnaire, a patient-specific multi-dimensional quality of life measure, in a community-based sample of patients with Parkinson's disease (PI)) using standardized measures of disease severity, depressive symptomatology and cognitive function. A group of 194 patients with probable PD were randomly selected from a community-based register and were invited to self-complete the 37-item PDQL. Disease severity was measured by the disease-specific Webster scale, cognition by the CAMCOG neuropsychological test and depressive symptomatology by the self-report 15-item GDS-15 geriatric depression scale. A total of 136 patients returned completed PDQL questionnaires. Significant differences (P < 0.05) emerged between the pooled PDQL score of patients grouped on the basis of disease severity. Depressive symptoms and cognition were also associated with poorer perceived quality of life as measured by the PDQL. The results of this study are indicative of the validity of the PDQL as an important additional measurement which reflects the impact of PD from the patient perspective. It shows poorer quality of life to be associated with increasing age, disease severity more severe depressive symptomatology and impaired cognitive functioning. However, the responsiveness of this instrument in the evaluation of care in PD remains to be determined.

PDQ-39: a review of the development, validation and application of a Parkinson's disease quality of life questionnaire and its associated measures.

Parkinson's disease is a common degenerative neurological condition. A number of general instruments exist to measure quality of life, but these were not designed to address areas salient to a specific disease. This contribution reviews the development and validation of the PDQ-39, a short 39-item quality of life questionnaire for Parkinson's disease. PDQ-39 data can be presented either in profile form or as a single index. This report also reviews the development and validation of a briefer measure (PDQ-8) derived from the PDQ-39, and of two summary indices (PDQ-39SI and PDQ-8SI.

Quality of life in patients with Parkinson's disease: development of a questionnaire.

To develop and test a questionnaire for measuring quality of life in patients with Parkinson's disease. An item pool was developed based on the experience of patients with Parkinson's disease and of neurologists; medical literature on the problems of patients with Parkinson's disease; and other quality of life questionnaires. To reduce the item pool, 13 patients identified items that were a problem to them and rated their importance. Items which were most often chosen and rated most important were included in the Parkinson's disease quality of life questionnaire (PDQL). The PDQL consists of 37 items. To evaluate the discriminant validity of the PDQL three groups of severity of disease were compared. To test for convergent validity, the scores of the PDQL were tested for correlation with standard indices of quality of life. The PDQL was filled out by 384 patients with Parkinson's disease. It consisted of four subscales: parkinsonian symptoms, systemic symptoms, emotional functioning, and social functioning. The internal-consistency reliability coefficients of the PDQL subscales were high (0.80-0.87). Patients with higher disease severity had significantly lower quality of life on all PDQL subscales (P < 0.05). Almost all PDQL subscales correlated highly (P < 0.001) with the corresponding scales of the standard quality of life indices. The PDQL is a relevant, reliable, and valid measure of the quality of life of patients with Parkinson's disease.