Measuring arthroscopic outcome.

In order to measure and report clinical research results, we require the ability to measure our results, and we label our measurement tools "outcome measures." Options are many and include clinician-reported and patient-reported measures. Patient-reported measures include measures of symptoms (such as pain), measures of activity and function (such as work ability or sports participation), and measures of general health status (such as quality of life). Measures of symptoms and measures of activity and function may be specified as joint or region, and disease or injury, specific. We recommend that clinical outcome studies include a combination of these measures. In addition, clinical outcome measures should be practical, widely accepted, reliable, valid and responsive. Finally, the evidence for reliability, validity and responsiveness should be specific to the disease and/or population of interest.