Fabio Efficace1, Francesco Cottone2, Kathrin Sommer2, Jacobien Kieffer3, Neil Aaronson3, Peter Fayers4, Mogens Groenvold5, Giovanni Caocci6, Francesco Lo Coco7, Gianluca Gaidano8, Pasquale Niscola9, Michele Baccarani10, Gianantonio Rosti10, Adriano Venditti7, Emanuele Angelucci11, Paola Fazi2, Marco Vignetti2, Johannes Giesinger12. 1. Italian Group for Adult Hematologic Diseases, Data Center and Health Outcomes Research Unit, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: f.efficace@gimema.it. 2. Italian Group for Adult Hematologic Diseases, Data Center and Health Outcomes Research Unit, Rome, Italy. 3. Department of Psychosocial Research, Division of Psychosocial Research and Epidemiology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, The Netherlands. 4. Division of Applied Health Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, England, UK; European Palliative Care Research Centre, Department of Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway. 5. Department of Palliative Medicine, Bispebjerg Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. 6. Department of Medical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy. 7. Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy. 8. Division of Hematology, Department of Translational Medicine, University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy. 9. Hematology Unit, Sant'Eugenio Hospital, Rome, Italy. 10. Institute of Hematology "L. and A. Seràgnoli," Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, "S. Orsola-Malpighi" University Hospital, University of Bologna, Italy. 11. IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Italy. 12. Psychiatry II, Medical University of Innsbruck, University Hospital Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: We investigated the validity of the recently developed European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) summary score in patients with hematologic malignancies. Specifically, we evaluated the adequacy of a single-factor measurement model for the QLQ-C30, and its known-groups validity and responsiveness to change over time. METHODS: We used confirmatory factor analysis to test the single-factor model of the QLQ-C30, using baseline QLQ-C30 data (N = 2134). The QLQ-C30 summary score was compared to the original QLQ-C30 scales using general (age, sex, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, comorbidity) and disease-specific (red blood cell transfusion dependency) groups. Repeated measurements allowed us to investigate responsiveness to change in a subgroup of patients with acute myeloid leukemia. RESULTS: The single-factor model of the QLQ-C30 exhibited adequate fit in patients with hematologic malignancies. Known-group comparisons generally supported the construct validity of the summary score when using more general grouping variables (sociodemographics, broad clinical parameters). Nevertheless, when groups were formed on the basis of disease-specific variables (eg, transfusion dependency), the summary score performed less well the some of the original, separate scales of the QLQ-C30. CONCLUSION: Our findings provide support for the validity of the single-factor model of the EORTC QLQ-C30 in patients with hematologic malignancies. Specifically, the results suggest that the summary score can be used as an endpoint in this population when symptom- or other health domain-specific hypotheses are not available.
OBJECTIVES: We investigated the validity of the recently developed European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) summary score in patients with hematologic malignancies. Specifically, we evaluated the adequacy of a single-factor measurement model for the QLQ-C30, and its known-groups validity and responsiveness to change over time. METHODS: We used confirmatory factor analysis to test the single-factor model of the QLQ-C30, using baseline QLQ-C30 data (N = 2134). The QLQ-C30 summary score was compared to the original QLQ-C30 scales using general (age, sex, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, comorbidity) and disease-specific (red blood cell transfusion dependency) groups. Repeated measurements allowed us to investigate responsiveness to change in a subgroup of patients with acute myeloid leukemia. RESULTS: The single-factor model of the QLQ-C30 exhibited adequate fit in patients with hematologic malignancies. Known-group comparisons generally supported the construct validity of the summary score when using more general grouping variables (sociodemographics, broad clinical parameters). Nevertheless, when groups were formed on the basis of disease-specific variables (eg, transfusion dependency), the summary score performed less well the some of the original, separate scales of the QLQ-C30. CONCLUSION: Our findings provide support for the validity of the single-factor model of the EORTC QLQ-C30 in patients with hematologic malignancies. Specifically, the results suggest that the summary score can be used as an endpoint in this population when symptom- or other health domain-specific hypotheses are not available.
Authors: Micha J Pilz; Eva-Maria Gamper; Fabio Efficace; Juan I Arraras; Sandra Nolte; Gregor Liegl; Matthias Rose; Johannes M Giesinger Journal: BMC Public Health Date: 2022-05-24 Impact factor: 4.135