Mental Component Summary Scale Scores Research Articles

The effects of nausea, vomiting, and social support on health-related quality of life during early pregnancy: A prospective cohort study

ObjectiveTo date, no previous study has examined the independent association between nausea, vomiting, and social support and health-related quality of life among early pregnant women. MethodsTo fill this gap, we investigated these associations within this group using repeated-measurement data. MethodsA prospective cohort design was conducted from August 2018 to February 2019 with perinatal outpatients in a general hospital. Participants were 153 pregnant women aged 20 years or older and under 20 weeks of gestation at their first prenatal visit. Along with reporting their sociodemographic data, participants completed the Index of Nausea, Vomiting, and Retching (INVR), the 12-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12), and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) and re-completed INVR, and SF-12 at follow-up checkups a maximum of three times. ResultsAfter controlling for internal correlations and confounding factors, INVR was found to be significantly negatively associated with the physical component summary scale score of SF-12; however, MSPSS showed no association with the physical component summary scale score. Conversely, the scores for both INVR and MSPSS were negatively and positively, respectively, significantly associated with the mental component summary scale score of SF-12. ConclusionThe severity of nausea and vomiting significantly impacts physical quality of life during early pregnancy. Both nausea and vomiting and social support significantly and independently affect mental quality of life. Health professionals should recognize these impacts and be aware that social support contributes to improving mental quality of life.

Nutrition-related parameters predict the health-related quality of life in home care patients.

There is evidence that nutritional status is one of the major factors affecting quality of life. Low quality of life is an important reason that reflects the risk of malnutrition as well as dependency and frailty. The present study aimed to examine nutritional risk factors and sociodemographic features affecting health-related quality of life in home care patients. The data of 209 adult or elderly eligible subjects were evaluated in the study. A general questionnaire including sociodemographic and nutritional characteristics, 'Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA)', 'Short Form-36 (SF-36) health related life quality scale' and '24-hour dietary recall' were applied with face-to-face interview. Anthropometric measurements were performed using standard measurement protocols and, height and weight measurements of bedridden patients were calculated by equality formulas. While 52.6% of patients were malnourished according to the MNA, only 7.7% were underweight according to the body mass index (BMI). The SF-36 summary component scores (physical and mental component summary scale scores) of malnourished patients were significantly lower than patients at risk of malnutrition or normal (p < 0.05). There were significant positive correlations between SF-36 physical component summary scale scores were significantly correlated with MNA scores (r = 0.517), BMI (r = 0.140) and daily dietary macronutrient intake (energy (r = 0.328), protein (r = 0.165), carbohydrate (r = 0.305), fat (r = 0.275) and fiber (r = 0.268)) (p < 0.05). Besides there were significant positive correlation between SF-36 mental component summary scale scores and MNA scores (r = 0.719), BMI (r = 0.318), daily dietary macronutrient intake (energy (r = 0.388), protein (r = 0.204), carbohydrate (r = 0.335), fat (r = 0.365) and fiber (r = 0.349)) (p < 0.05). It was also determined that MNA had the greatest positive effect and 'having a caregiver' had the greatest negative effect on the physical and mental component summary scale scores. Periodic nutritional screening of home care patients is important and necessary for early nutritional intervention and thus prevention of morbidity and mortality.

Impact of patient-education on health related quality of life of diabetic foot ulcer patients: A randomized study

BackgroundDiabetic foot is the most serious and disabling long term complication of diabetes, adversely affecting the health related quality of life (HRQoL). ObjectivesTo evaluates the impact of patient-education (PE) on HRQoL of diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) patients. MethodsThis randomized controlled study on the effect of PE on improvement of HRQoL, conducted in Kasturba Hospital, Manipal, India consisted of 135 DFU patients with 65 subjects in the control group (CG) and 70 subjects in the intervention group (IG). RAND-36 questionnaire was employed for evaluating HRQoL scores of DFU patients in both groups at baseline and after six months of PE. ResultsSubjects in the both IG and CG reported poor HRQoL scores, on all the eight subscales at baseline. After six months of PE, HRQoL improved substantially in IG with respect to CG and IG at baseline (p < 0.05). Likewise, in both CG and IG, the physical component summary scale (PCS) scores (24.1 ± 6.6 vs 25.6 ± 7.3) and the mental component summary scale (MCS) scores (27.3 ± 5.4 vs 28.8 ± 7.1) were similar and poor before PE. However, six months post PE, in IG, the Both PCS and MCS scores increased dramatically from 25.6 ± 7.3 to 42.9 ± 9.7 and 28.8 ± 7.1 to 48.8 ± 8.4 (p < 0.05) respectively. ConclusionThe remarkable improvement in the HRQoL in IG at six months follow-up suggests that PE significantly improves HRQoL in DFU patients. Overworked physicians and paucity of trained doctors in resource-poor settings obligate task-sharing with non-physician healthcare providers.

Determinants of Health Related Quality of Life in Home Dwelling Elderly Population: Appetite and Nutritional Status.

The present study aimed to examine nutritional risk factors such as poor appetite, malnutrition or obesity affecting health related quality of life in elderly. This is a cross-sectional population-based study consisted of 407 elderly (142 men and 265 women) mean aged 71.7±6.54 years. Questionnaire including the demographic and general characteristics, health information, nutritional habits was performed by face-to-face interviews. Daily food consumption was assessed using 24-hour dietary recall. Mini Nutrition Assessment (MNA) and Mini Nutrition Assessment-Short Form (MNA-SF) were used for assessment of nutrition status. Appetite was evaluated using the Simplified Nutritional Appetite Questionnaire (SNAQ). Health related life quality scale (Short Form Health Survey -SF36) was used for evalution health related quality of life. According to MNA and MNA-SF 6.1%; 4.2% of elderly people were malnutrition and 40.3%; 21.9% of them were at risk of malnutrition respectively. Accordingly, SNAQ 28.7% of elderly were risk at loss of weight. Health related quality of life scores of women were significantly lower than men. Good nutritional (MNA-SF) and good appetite (SNAQ) status, increased 1.69, 1.48 fold in the mental component summary scale scores respectively. SNAQ was the best determinant of physical component summary scale score had the greatest positive effect, good appetite status increased approximately 2.2 fold in physical scores. Polypharmacy and high BMI decreased health related quality of life in elderly. Determinants of quality of life are preventable and treatable with early and appropriate interventions in elderly.

Relationship between magnetic resonance imaging findings, radiological grading, psychological distress and pain in patients with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis.

Synovial hypertrophy, synovial effusions, and abnormalities in the subchondral bone play a key role in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA) and are associated with pain. Understanding and careful clinical assessment together with better imaging such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the knee may improve treatment strategies. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the associations between the structural findings on MRI (bone marrow lesions [BMLs], synovitis, cartilage defects, meniscal lesions), X-ray examination (Kellgren and Lawrence [K/L] grade), and psychological aspects with pain in patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA). In this study, patients with symptomatic KOA were included. Knee radiographs were acquired and scored according to the K/L score. MRI was performed with a 1.5 T whole-body scanner; the presence of the following alterations was collected: BMLs, infrapatellar fat pad (IFP) synovitis, condral defects, and meniscal tears. Knee pain was assessed with Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) pain subscale. The Mental Component Summary Scale Score (MCS) of the Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36) questionnaire was used to evaluate psychological impact. BMLs were detected in 57 (38.3%) subjects of 149 participants (aged 51-81years, female 75.8%). Cartilage defects were found in 91.9% of patients, IFP synovitis in 37.5%, meniscal lesions in 34.9%. In multiple regression analyses, WOMAC knee pain was significantly associated with the volume of the BMLs (p=0.0001), IFP synovitis (p=0.0036), and SF-36 MCS (p=0.0001), but not with K/L grades, meniscal lesion score, cartilage defect, sex, age, educational level, disease duration and BMI. In symptomatic KOA patients, MRI features, such as larger BMLs, IFP synovitis, and high levels of psychological distress, are associated with greater knee pain. Confirmation of these findings in the prospective studies of KOA is needed.

Health-related quality of life in dialysis patients with constipation: a cross-sectional study

ObjectivesTo evaluate differences in the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) between patients with constipation receiving hemodialysis (HD) and those receiving peritoneal dialysis (PD).MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, 605 dialysis patients (478 HD cases and 127 PD cases; all patients were older than 18 years) from our hospital were included. A questionnaire was used to evaluate their constipation statuses. The effect of constipation on HRQoL was assessed, using the Chinese version of the 12-item short-form (SF-12) general health survey. Karnofsky score, sociodemographic, and clinical data were also collected. We performed multiple logistic regression analysis to define independent risk factors for constipation and impaired HRQoL.ResultsA total of 605 participants (326 men [53.9%] and 279 women [46.1%]) were surveyed. The incidence of constipation was 71.7% in HD patients and 14.2% in PD patients. Dialysis patients with constipation had significantly lower mean SF-12 Physical Component Summary scale and Mental Component Summary scale scores than the nonconstipation group (P < 0.05), whereas HD patients had better SF-12 Physical Component Summary and Mental Component Summary scores than PD patients (P < 0.05). When we performed multivariate logistic regression analysis, dialysis modality, diabetes, and the number of constipation-related medications were three independent risk factors associated with constipation. As for impaired HRQoL in the constipated dialysis population, dialysis modality was found to be another independent risk factor in addition to age and diabetes.ConclusionPD patients with constipation had worse HRQoL than HD control participants. We should pay more attention to the patients with constipation receiving PD, as peritonitis caused by constipation was associated with a higher mortality.

Quality of Life and Psychological Distress of Adult Recipients After Living Donor Liver Transplantation

This longitudinal prospective study evaluated health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and psychological distress among recipients after right-lobe adult–adult living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). We measured HRQoL among 81 consecutive recipients using the Chinese version of the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 (SF-36). Psychological symptoms were measured using the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R). Clinical data were collected from Chinese Liver Transplant Registry records. Sixty-two recipients completed follow-up assessments at 6, 12, 24, and 36 months posttransplantation. SF-36 domain scores were lowest at 6 months, especially for role-physical, bodily pain, vitality, social functioning, role-emotional and mental component summary scale scores. They improved dramatically in the first year posttransplantation. None of the SF-36 domain scores differed significantly between 12 and 24 months. No SCL-90-R dimension score differed significantly among the four assessments (P > .05). Mental component summary scale scores significantly correlated with all four SCL-90-R global severity index scores (P < .05). HRQoL improved significantly in adult recipients in the first year after LDLT, but not thereafter. Patients recovered psychological well-being quickly after transplantation; this factor had an important influence on the HRQoL of LDLT recipients.

Needs and preferences regarding health care delivery as perceived by patients with systemic sclerosis

This study aims to examine the needs and preferences regarding the delivery of health care services and information provision and their determinants in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). A questionnaire was sent to 77 SSc outpatients, comprising 27 items on health care needs within the domains physical, psychological, social support, employment/daily activities, or other health problems and 13 items on information needs. Moreover, the patients’ preferences regarding the provision of health care services and information were listed. Additional assessments included sociodemographic characteristics, physical functioning (SSc Health Assessment Questionnaire), and quality of life (SF-36). Sixty-four patients (83%) returned the questionnaire. Twenty-six patients (41%) reported one or more unmet health care needs, with the highest proportions of patients with unmet needs seen in the physical (28%) and psychological (20%) domain. The highest percentages of patients with information needs were observed for medical subjects (20–28%). A lower mental component summary scale score and younger age were associated with the presence of at least one health care need in the psychological domain. Worse physical functioning, a diagnosis of diffuse SSc and having a partner were associated with higher information need score. A yearly, standardized multidisciplinary assessment program was most frequently mentioned as a preferred, but not yet existing health care model (59%) and the rheumatologist as a preferred source of information supply (75%). Unmet health care and information needs are common among SSc patients. To improve SSc health care, more attention should be paid to health care services for specific physical and psychological problems and medical information supply by the rheumatologist. In addition, the development of new models of care, such as a yearly, standardized multidisciplinary diagnostic program seems warranted.

Individualized Health Intervention: Behavioral Change and Quality of Life in an Older Rural Chinese Population

A randomized cluster trial was conducted to assess the impact of individualized health intervention guided by the transtheoretical model (TTM) theory on behavior change and quality of life (QoL) among the older rural population of China. A total of 2441 persons aged 60 years and over participated in the study. After a nine-month intervention, brined vegetable intake, salt intake, and smoking decreased (p < .001) while fresh vegetable and fresh fruit intake increased within the intervention group (p < .01) after adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics. The intervention group improved significantly in role-physical, role-emotional, mental health, and mental component summary scale scores (p < .05) after adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, health behavior, and chronic disease status. The study shows that individualized health interventions are a feasible method of changing the health behaviors and improving the QoL in the older rural population of China.

Correlation of Health-Related Quality of Life After Liver Transplant With the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease Score

To determine whether a correlation exists between the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) after liver transplant (LT). Prospective cohort. University hospital. Adult LT recipients (N = 209). Postoperative HRQOL over a 1-year period after LT as measured via multiple regression-based path analysis testing the effects of the MELD score, preoperative variables, and postoperative variables on scores on the physical component summary and mental component summary scales of the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey and on composite physical and mental HRQOL scores derived from multiple scales. The MELD score (beta = .16), cholestatic cirrhosis (beta = .12), autoimmune/metabolic disease (beta = .18), neoplasm (beta = .23), time after LT (beta = .16), and the Karnofsky score (beta = .49) had significant effects on the physical component summary scale score. Autoimmune/metabolic disease (beta = .16) and the Karnofsky score (beta = .25) had significant effects on the mental component summary scale score. The MELD score (beta = .15), high school education (beta = .15), college education (beta = .17), autoimmune/metabolic disease (beta = .15), neoplasm (beta = .23), time after LT (beta = .11), and the Karnofsky score (beta = .51) had significant effects on the composite physical HRQOL score. Autoimmune/metabolic disease (beta = .23), neoplasm (beta = .15), and the Karnofsky score (beta = .42) had significant effects on the composite mental HRQOL score. An increasing MELD score, when computed without any diagnosis-based exception points, was associated with improved physical HRQOL in the first year after LT. The MELD score did not affect mental HRQOL.

Development and validation of the self-administered Fibromyalgia Assessment Status: a disease-specific composite measure for evaluating treatment effect.

IntroductionThe Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) is a composite disease-specific measure validated for fibromyalgia (FM), but it is rarely used in clinical practice. The objective was to develop and analyse the psychometric properties of a new composite disease-specific index (Fibromyalgia Assessment Status, FAS), a simple self-administered index that combines a patient's assessment of fatigue, sleep disturbances and pain evaluated on the basis of the 16 non-articular sites listed on the Self-Assessment Pain Scale (SAPS) in a single measure (range 0 to 10).MethodsThe FAS index was constructed using a traditional development strategy, and its psychometric properties were tested in 226 FM patients (209 women, 17 men); whose disease-related characteristics were assessed by means of an 11-numbered circular numerical rating scale (NRS) for pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances and general health (GH), the tender point score (TPS), the SAPS, the FIQ, and the SF-36. A group of 226 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients was used for comparative purposes. Of the 179 FM patients who entered the follow-up study, 152 completed the three-month period and were included in the responsiveness analyses. One hundred and fifty-four patients repeated the FAS questionnaire after an interval of one week, and its test/re-test reliability was calculated. Responsiveness was evaluated on the basis of effect size and the standardised response mean.ResultsThe FAS index fulfilled the established criteria for validity, reliability and responsiveness. Factor analysis showed that SAPS and fatigue contributed most, and respectively explained 47.4% and 31.2% of the variance; sleep explained 21.3%. Testing for internal consistency showed that Cronbach's alpha was 0.781, thus indicating a high level of reliability. As expected, closer significant correlations were found when FAS was compared with total FIQ (rho = 0.347; P < 0.0001) and the FIQ subscales, particularly job ability, tiredness, fatigue and pain (all P < 0.0001), but the correlation between FAS and the mental component summary scale score (MCS) of the SF-36 (rho = -0.531; P < 0.0001) was particularly interesting. Test/re-test reliability was satisfactory. The FAS showed the greatest effect size. The magnitude of the responsiveness measures was statistically different between FAS (0.889) and the FIQ (0.781) (P = 0.038), and between the SF-36 MCS (0.434) and the SF-36 physical component summary scale score (PCS) (0.321) (P < 0.01).ConclusionsThe self-administered FAS is a reliable, valid and responsive disease-specific composite measure for assessing treatment effect in patients with FM.

Anxiety and depression and their influence on the quality of life after total hip replacement: preliminary report

Objective. The study investigated health-related quality of life in relation to mental status (anxiety and depression) and demographic factors in patients before and after total hip replacement due to osteoarthrosis. Methods. The SF-36, HADS, socio-demographic data questionnaire was delivered to a group of 184 subjects (108 females, 76 males) at the mean age at the time of surgery of 59 years. Questionnaires were delivered to the subjects 2 weeks before the surgery and 6 months after the operation (by mail). Results. Patients after hip replacement showed significant improvement in health-related quality of life in most domains of SF-36 score and summary scale of PCS (Physical Component Summary Scale) and MCS (Mental Component Summary Scale). They also showed improvement in mental status. Elderly patients were more likely to show worse score in MCS and PCS before and after surgery. BMI (body mass index) was correlated only with preoperative PCS. Mental status was associated with postoperative PCS and MCS. Patients who were satisfied with the results of the surgery showed higher PCS and MCS score. Conclusion. Hip replacement surgery brings significant improvement to the quality of life. Age and mental status of those patients influence markedly their postoperative performance.

Self-Administered Stress Management Training in Patients Undergoing Radiotherapy

This study sought to continue research on psychosocial interventions for patients being treated with radiation therapy across multiple centers and to replicate positive findings of a single-center study of patients being treated with chemotherapy. The primary objective of this study was to determine if a stress management intervention was effective in improving quality of life and decreasing psychological distress in patients undergoing radiotherapy for cancer. A total of 310 patients about to begin radiotherapy treatment were randomly assigned to receive usual care only or self-administered stress management training. Quality-of-life assessments occurred at baseline and for 3 weeks after the beginning of radiotherapy treatment. Overall, patients assigned to receive stress management training did not report significantly less psychological distress on the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short Form (SF-36) Mental Component Summary Scale than did those assigned to usual care. When divided into subgroups based on the SF-36 Mental Component Summary Scale scores immediately after their first radiotherapy treatment, patients with above-average levels of psychological distress (scores < or = 50) who were randomly assigned to the intervention condition reported significant improvement in their distress compared with those assigned to usual care only on the SF-36 Mental Health Subscale and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. This study found that self-administered stress management training is effective only in those radiotherapy patients with initially higher levels of psychological distress. Additional research should examine the benefits of stress management training targeted specifically to patients experiencing heightened distress.

The use of the SF-36 questionnaire in adult survivors of childhood cancer: evaluation of data quality, score reliability, and scaling assumptions

BackgroundThe SF-36 has been used in a number of previous studies that have investigated the health status of childhood cancer survivors, but it never has been evaluated regarding data quality, scaling assumptions, and reliability in this population. As health status among childhood cancer survivors is being increasingly investigated, it is important that the measurement instruments are reliable, validated and appropriate for use in this population. The aim of this paper was to determine whether the SF-36 questionnaire is a valid and reliable instrument in assessing self-perceived health status of adult survivors of childhood cancer.MethodsWe examined the SF-36 to see how it performed with respect to (1) data completeness, (2) distribution of the scale scores, (3) item-internal consistency, (4) item-discriminant validity, (5) internal consistency, and (6) scaling assumptions. For this investigation we used SF-36 data from a population-based study of 10,189 adult survivors of childhood cancer.ResultsOverall, missing values ranged per item from 0.5 to 2.9 percent. Ceiling effects were found to be highest in the role limitation-physical (76.7%) and role limitation-emotional (76.5%) scales. All correlations between items and their hypothesised scales exceeded the suggested standard of 0.40 for satisfactory item-consistency. Across all scales, the Cronbach's alpha coefficient of reliability was found to be higher than the suggested value of 0.70.Consistent across all cancer groups, the physical health related scale scores correlated strongly with the Physical Component Summary (PCS) scale scores and weakly with the Mental Component Summary (MCS) scale scores. Also, the mental health and role limitation-emotional scales correlated strongly with the MCS scale score and weakly with the PCS scale score. Moderate to strong correlations with both summary scores were found for the general health perception, energy/vitality, and social functioning scales.ConclusionThe findings presented in this paper provide support for the validity and reliability of the SF-36 when used in long-term survivors of childhood cancer. These findings should encourage other researchers and health care practitioners to use the SF-36 when assessing health status in this population, although it should be recognised that ceiling effects can occur.

Quality-of-life assessment in an outpatient parenteral antibiotic program.

To measure changes and to identify predictors of change of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) for enrollees into an outpatient parenteral antibiotic therapy (OPAT) program. A multidisciplinary, single-center, prospective investigation was conducted at a 1000-bed Canadian adult tertiary-care teaching hospital. Over a 15-month study period, consenting patients who were enrolled in the OPAT program completed paired Short Form-36 (SF-36) questionnaires within 48 hours prior to discharge from the hospital and again 26-30 days after discharge. Sociodemographic data and clinical variables were also collected for the purpose of determining potential predictors of change in quality of life. During the study period, 134 patients were enrolled in the OPAT program and 82 completed the paired SF-36 questionnaires. Study participants experienced a significant improvement in 3 SF-36 domains (physical functioning, bodily pain, role emotional) and the mental component summary scale (MCS) scores when they were transferred from the hospital to home setting. The SF-36 scores for all domains and summary scales were lower than the Canadian population average (all p < 0.001). Multiple linear-regression analysis revealed that infectious disease diagnosis and baseline physical component summary scale (PCS) scores were predictors of the change in the PCS score when patients transferred from the hospital to the home setting. Length of hospital stay and baseline MCS scores were predictors of the change in MCS scores when patients transferred from the hospital to the home setting. This study reveals that some domains in HRQoL appear to improve 4 weeks after discharge for adults enrolled in an OPAT program and that there are different predictors for changes in physical and mental health.

The Impact of Liver Transplantation on Health-Related Quality of Life

755 Health-related quality of life (HRQL) has become an important outcome for liver transplantation (OLT). AIMS: 1. To measure HRQL pre and post-transplantation 2. To determine the effects of clinico-demographic factors on HRQL. 3. To assess the effect of HRQL on resource utilization. DESIGN: Generic (SF-36) and liver-specific questionnaires (Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire or CLDQ) were administered at baseline and every 3 months post-OLT. HRQL was reported as SF-36 Mental Component Summary scale (MCS), Physical Component Summary scale (PCS) and overall CLDQ scores. Clinical, demographic, galactose elimination capacity (GEC) and laboratory data were recorded. Liver transplant candidates' pre-OLT scores were compared to those of general population and patients with CHF and COPD. Total cost per case (TCPC) and length of stay (LOS) were used to assess resource utilization. RESULTS: 37 OLT candidates were evaluated, 25 male, age:50.2±12, Child's class A=3, B=30, C=4 and GEC=277±81.2. Over 10 months of follow up, ten patients underwent OLT. 1. In patients waiting for OLT, HRQL scores were significantly lower than COPD, CHF and general population. Gender, age, GEC and etiology of liver disease did not have further impact on HRQL. There was a significant inverse correlation between some aspects of HRQL and worsening Child-Pugh score. 2. Of 10 OLT recipients, all aspects of HRQL scores at 3 months post-OLT showed significant improvement. In these patients, 3 months post-OLT mental health scores (CLDQ and SF-36) were similar to normal population. 3. There was an inverse correlation between post-OLT MCS, PCS and CLDQ scores and TCPC (−0.73, −0.70 and −0.63 respectively, p≤0.05). A rapid improvement in CLDQ scores only (3 months post-OLT) was associated with lower TCPC (−0.67, p=0.05). No associations were seen between HRQL and LOS. CONCLUSIONS: 1. Liver transplant candidates have severely impaired HRQL. 2. Substantial improvement in HRQL is seen 3 months post-OLT. 3. This early HRQL improvement is associated with lower TCPC. (Figure)Figure

Development and testing of the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short Form Health Survey summary scale scores in the United Kingdom. Results from a large-scale survey and a clinical trial.

Investigators have suggested that reduction of the number of dimensions on a health status measure decreases the number of statistical comparisons and consequently diminishes the role of chance in testing hypotheses relating to health outcomes.1 Consequently, statistical procedures have been used by the developers of the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) to reduce the number of dimensions on this instrument. Work by Ware et al2 has outlined a method of gaining two summary scores from the 35 items comprising the eight dimensions of the SF-36. Using data from the Medical Outcomes Study, a Physical Component Summary Scale Score (PCS) and a Mental Component Summary Scale Score (MCS) were generated, and their validity and reliability were evaluated. The intention of the developers when constructing the PCS and MCS was to reduce the SF-36 from an eight-scale profile to two summary measures without substantial loss of information. This article documents the construction of summary measures from a large-scale data set from the United King-