Validation of the Japanese version of the Manchester Cough in Lung Cancer Scale

BackgroundCough is one of the most common distressing symptoms of lung cancer. However, there is no specific measure of cough in lung cancer in Japanese. The present study aimed to determine the validity of the Japanese version of the Manchester Cough in Lung Cancer Scale (MCLCS).MethodsThe MCLCS is a cough-specific quality of life (QOL) questionnaire for lung cancer that consists of 10 items on cough frequency, distress, impact, and severity. Items are evaluated on a scale of 1–5 (1: never, 2: some of the time, 3: often, 4: most of the time, and 5: all of the time). Total scores can range from 1 to 50, with higher scores indicating worse cough-related QOL. The Japanese version of the MCLCS was created through forward and backward translation. Patients completed the Japanese version of the MCLCS, the Leicester Cough Questionnaire (LCQ), and the cough visual analog scale (VAS). To confirm the reliability of the MCLCS, Cronbach's α coefficient was calculated, and for validity, the Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was used to assess the correlations between MCLCS and LCQ or cough VAS.ResultsOf the total 192 lung cancer patients enrolled in this study, 73 had a cough in the preceding week. The median MCLCS score was 28, demonstrating an excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's α coefficient = 0.83). MCLCS was strongly and significantly correlated with LCQ and cough VAS.ConclusionsThe Japanese version of MCLCS is a valid tool for assessing cough in lung cancer patients.     

Validation of the Spanish version of the Epworth Sleepiness Scale in patients with a sleep apnea syndrome

A Spanish version of the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS-Sp) was developed by translation, back-translation, formal discussion, and a meeting of researchers with a group of patients with sleep apnea syndrome (SAS). The translated questionnaire was then tested in 345 patients, 275 with SAS at various levels of severity and 70 without SAS. Significant differences existed between the two groups as to age (53 +/- 11 years versus 47 +/- 13, p < 0.001) and BMI (32 +/- 5 versus 29.5 +/- 5, p < 0.001). Patients with SAS had significantly higher scores (14 +/- 5) than did those without SAS (10 +/- 5) (p < 0.001). Reproducibility was tested in 146 patients (113 SAS and 33 non-SAS), with no significant differences found among patients with SAS (14.9 +/- 5 versus 14.2 +/- 5, p = n.s.); significant differences in BMI were found, however, among the 33 non-SAS patients (12 +/- 5 versus 10 +/- 5, p < 0.01). Total scores and individual item scores were related in both groups. Likewise, each item was related to total score in patients with SAS. Sensitivity to post-treatment changes was assessed in 77 SAS patients, with initial scores of 16 +/- 4 seen to decrease to 4 +/- 3 after continuous positive airway pressure. ESS-Sp scores over 10 were recorded for 85% of patients with SAS: 78% of those with mild SAS, 85% of those with moderate disease and 92% of those whose SAS was severe. Significant inter-group differences were found upon applying a test of variance (p < 0.001). Differences continued to be detected when multiple correlations were looked for, with differences increasing with severity. SAS patients with ESS-Sp level one scores (< 10) had lower apnea-hypopnea indices (AHI) (35 +/- 18 versus 42 +/- 20, p < 0.05), lower desaturation levels (21 +/- 21 versus 34 +/- 28, p < 0.01) and higher minimum saturation (80 +/- 10 versus 75 +/- 12, p < 0.05), with no differences in age or BMI. A significant correlation was found between ESS-Sp score and respiratory variables recorded during polysomnography: AHI, r = 0.23 (p < 0.001); percent time in apnea-hypopnea, r = 0.18 (p < 0.01); desaturation index, r = 0.27 (p < 0.01) and minimum saturation (r = -0.14, p < 0.05). We conclude that the Spanish version of the ESS is equivalent to the original, is reproducible in patients with SAS, sensitive to post-treatment changes and seems to discriminate level of severity, showing correlation with polysomnograph variables.     

Adaptation and validation of the Turkish version of the Rheumatoid Arthritis Quality of Life Scale

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to adapt the Rheumatoid Arthritis Quality of Life (RAQoL) questionnaire for use in Turkey and to test its reliability and validity. METHODS: The translation process included the recent guidelines for cross-cultural adaptation. Reliability of the Turkish RAQoL was assessed by internal consistency and test-retest reliability, internal construct validity by Rasch analysis, and external construct validity by associations with impairments, disability, and general health status. Cross-cultural validity was tested through analysis of differential item functioning (DIF) by comparison with data from the UK version of the RAQoL. RESULTS: Reliability of the adapted version was good, with high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha 0.95 and 0.96 at times 1 and 2, respectively) and test-retest reliability (Spearman's rho 0.874). Internal construct validity was confirmed by excellent fit to the Rasch model (mean item fit 0.236, SD 1.113) and external construct validity by expected associations. The DIF for culture was found in four items. CONCLUSIONS: Adaptation of the RAQoL for use in Turkey was successful. The instrument can be used in both national and international studies for cross-cultural comparison with the UK, as long as adjustments are made for the few items displaying DIF for culture.     

Validation of a telephone version of the mini-mental state examination.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the construct validity of a telephone-administered version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). DESIGN: Validity testing by comparing a telephone version of the MMSE administered first to a face-to-face evaluation done several days later. SETTING: Outpatient geriatric assessment center. SUBJECTS: 100 of 175 consecutive referrals. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: MMSE and a brief neuropsychological screening test (BNPS) face-to-face and a telephone version of the MMSE as part of the Adult Lifestyles and Function Interview (ALFI-MMSE). RESULTS: Test scores of the two MMSE versions correlated strongly for all subjects (Pearson's r = 0.85, P = 0.001) and remained significant for the cognitively intact (P = 0.02) and questionably (P = 0.002), mildly (P = 0.0001), and moderately (P = 0.003) demented. Comparison of the two versions' equivalent 22 items revealed no significant difference for scores of all subjects (P = 0.07) but with a trend toward higher scores in the original version. Diminished hearing, reported either by the subject (P = 0.003) or by the collateral source (P = 0.02) was associated with lower scores on the telephone version. Five individual test items were biased by the route of test administration. Sensitivity and specificity relative to the BNPS were 67% and 100% for the ALFI-MMSE and 68% and 100% for the MMSE, respectively. CONCLUSION: The scores on the ALFI-MMSE correlated strongly with the scores of the original version given face-to-face in subjects undergoing geriatric assessment. The results indicate that the ALFI-MMSE could be a useful and economical tool to screen for cognitive impairment.     

Validation of the Spanish version of the Problem Areas in Diabetes (PAID-SP) Scale

This study aimed to assess the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Problem Areas in Diabetes (PAID-SP) Scale. Data were collected from patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. The findings suggested that the PAID-SP is a reliable and valid measure of diabetes-specific emotional problems.     

German version of the Epworth Sleepiness Scale.

BACKGROUND: The Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) is a questionnaire widely used in English speaking countries for assessment of subjective daytime sleepiness. OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to translate and validate the ESS for use in German-speaking countries. METHODS: A German translation of the ESS was administered to 159 healthy German-speaking Swiss and to 174 patients with various sleep disorders. RESULTS: The mean +/- SD of ESS scores in normals was 5.7+/-3.0, in patients it was 13.0+/-5.1 (p<0.001). Scores were not correlated with age or gender but with the percentage of time spent at an oxygen saturation <90% (R = 0.35, p<0.001), and the respiratory disturbance index (R = 0.26, p<0.001) in primary snorers and sleep apnea patients. Item analysis confirmed internal consistency of the scale (Cronbach alpha = 0.60 in normals, and 0.83 in patients). Follow-up scores in 25 sleep apnea patients on treatment showed a reduction by 7+/-5 points (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our data validate the ESS for application in German-speaking populations. The simplicity, reliability and the apparent lack of relevant influences of language and cultural background on performance of the ESS makes it a valuable tool for clinical management and research.     

Validation of a standardized version of the Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire.

BACKGROUND: In the original 32-item Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (AQLQ), five activity questions are selected by patients themselves. However, for long-term studies and large clinical trials, generic activities may be more appropriate. METHODS: For the standardized version of the AQLQ, the AQLQ(S), we formulated five generic activities (strenuous exercise, moderate exercise, work-related activities, social activities, and sleep) to replace the five patient-specific activities in the AQLQ. In a 9-week observational study, we compared the AQLQ with the AQLQ(S) and examined their measurement properties. Forty symptomatic adult asthma patients completed the AQLQ(S), the AQLQ, the Medical Outcomes Survey Short Form 36, the Asthma Control Questionnaire, and spirometry at baseline, 1, 5, and 9 weeks. RESULTS: Activity domain scores (mean +/- SD) were lower with the AQLQ (5.7 +/- 0.9) than with the AQLQ(S) (5.9 +/- 0.8; p = 0.0003) and correlation between the two was moderate (r = 0.77). However, for overall scores, there was minimal difference (AQLQ, 5.4 +/- 0.8; AQLQ(S), 5.5 +/- 0.8; r = 0.99). Reliability (AQLQ intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.95; AQLQ(S) intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.96) and responsiveness (AQLQ, p < 0.0001; AQLQ(S), p < 0.0001) were similar for the two instruments. Construct validity (correlation with other measures of health status and clinical asthma) was also similar for the two instruments. CONCLUSIONS: The AQLQ(S) has strong measurement properties and is valid for measuring health-related quality of life in asthma. The choice of instrument should depend on the task at hand.     

Development and testing of a five-item version of the Geriatric Depression Scale.

OBJECTIVE: To develop and test the effectiveness of a 5-item version of the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) in screening for depression in a frail community-dwelling older population. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. SETTING: A geriatric outpatient clinic at the Sepulveda VA Medical Center, Sepulveda, California. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 74 frail outpatients (98.6% male, mean age 74.6) enrolled in an ongoing trial. MEASUREMENTS: Subjects had a comprehensive geriatric assessment that included a structured clinical evaluation for depression with geropsychiatric consultation. A 5-item version of the GDS was created from the 15-item GDS by selecting the items with the highest Pearson chi2 correlation with clinical diagnosis of depression. Sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic accuracy, and positive and negative predictive values were calculated for the 15-item GDS and the new 5-item scale. RESULTS: Subjects had a mean GDS score of 6.2 (range 0-15). Clinical evaluation found that 46% of subjects were depressed. The depressed and not depressed groups were similar with regard to demographics, mental status, educational level, and number of chronic medical conditions. Using clinical evaluation as the gold standard for depression, the 5-item GDS (compared with the 15-item GDS results shown in parentheses) had a sensitivity of .97 (.94), specificity of .85 (.83), positive predictive value of .85 (.82), negative predictive value of .97 (.94), and accuracy of .90 (.88) for predicting depression. Significant agreement was found between depression diagnosis and the 5-item GDS (kappa = 0.81). Multiple other short forms were tested, and are discussed. The mean administration times for the 5- and 15-item GDS were .9 and 2.7 minutes, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The 5-item GDS was as effective as the 15-item GDS for depression screening in this population, with a marked reduction in administration time. If validated elsewhere, it may prove to be a preferred screening test for depression.     

The Swedish version of the Haemophilia Activity List

Summary. There has been increasing interest in the patient’s perspective on outcome of treatment. The Haemophilia Activity List (HAL) has been developed as a disease‐specific questionnaire for haemophilia patients and is a validated self‐report measure of function developed according to WHO’s International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. To validate HAL in Sweden. The Dutch and English versions of HAL were translated into Swedish using ‘the forward–backward translation’ method and merged into a final Swedish version. Validation was performed against the Swedish version of the questionnaires Arthritis Impact Measurement 2 (AIMS 2) and Impact on Participation and Autonomy (IPA). Two hundred and twenty‐five patients with severe and moderate forms of haemophilia A and B from three centres were invited to participate in the study. Spearman’s rank correlation test was used for validation, and internal consistency of the HAL was calculated with Cronbach’s alpha. Eighty‐four patients (39%) (18–80 years old) filled out the questionnaires. The internal consistency of the Swedish version of HAL was high, with Cronbach’s alpha being 0.98–0.71. Function of the legs had the highest consistency and transportation had the lowest. The correlation was excellent between the HAL sum score and AIMS 2 physical (r = 0.84, P < 0.01), IPA autonomy indoors (r = 0.83, P < 0.01) and autonomy outdoors (r = 0.89, P < 0.01). The Swedish version of HAL has both internal consistency and convergent validity and may complement other functional tests to gather information on the patient’s self‐perceived ability.     

Validation of the Spanish version of the Glasgow Dyspepsia Severity Score.

OBJECTIVE: To translate, adapt and validate the Spanish version of the Glasgow Dyspepsia Severity Score (GDSS). METHOD: The translation into Spanish and the adaptation of the scale was carried out by specialized medical translators. The comprehensibility of the translated scale was assessed by two independent observers and by the research team. GDSS includes eight items and was filled out once by 40 healthy subjects (control group) and twice by 131 patients with functional dyspepsia. After the first measurement, patients were prescribed a H2 blocker (roxatidine) for 2 months. A second evaluation was carried out 6 months after the beginning of the treatment. RESULTS: The comprehensibility of the questionnaire was good. It showed acceptable internal consistency both for the control group (0.6) and for the patients at the inclusion visit (0.6) and good consistency for the patients at the 6 month follow-up evaluation (0.8). After treatment, the overall score decreased almost to half (p < 0.0001) in the patients, thus confirming the effectiveness of the treatment 4 months after its discontinuation, although their score was still higher than the score of the control group (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest the usefulness of including the GDSS scale in the dyspeptic symptoms recording protocols, since it allow to estimate, with appropriate objectivity and in an easy and quickly way, the degree of impairment due to dyspeptic symptoms, as well as the perception of well-being and the effectiveness of a given therapy.     

Arthritis appraisal and ways of coping. Scale development

An instrument was developeted to measure appraisal and coping in older people with osteoarthritis (OA). Based on the Lazarus-Folkman model of stress and coping, our Arhtritis Appraisal and Ways of coping scale assessed the primary appraisal (perception of harm/loss) and coping thoughts and actions of OAs in response to specific incidents of pain. Factor analysis of the scores of 151 persons with osteoarthritis produced five coping subscales: dependency, adapting, distancing, anger-withdrawal, and expanding thoughts and actions. In a sample of 95 OAs, primary appraisal and coping were found to relate significantly to each other, to self-efficacy, and to health status (pain, depression, and activity level). Use of this instrument to understand better the change processes in sucessful patient education program is discussed.     

Validation and psychometric properties of the Delirium Motor Subtype Scale in elderly hip fracture patients (Dutch version)

The Delirium Motor Subtype Scale (DMSS) was developed to capture all the previous different approaches to delirium motor subtyping into one new instrument and emphasize disturbances of motor activity rather than associated psychomotoric symptoms. We investigated reliability and validity of the DMSS Dutch version. Elderly patients who had undergone hip fracture surgery received the DMSS and the Delirium Rating Scale Revised-98 (DRS-R-98). A diagnosis of delirium was defined according to the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM). Among 146 patients, 46 (32%) patients were diagnosed with delirium (mean age 86.3 years; SD 5.2). The internal consistency of the DMSS was acceptable (Cronbach's alpha = 0.72). If an item was removed at random the internal consistency of the scale remained the same. Similarly the concurrent validity of DMSS was good (Cohen's kappa = 0.73) while for each motor subtype the Cohen's kappa ranged from 0.58 to 0.85. The sensitivity and specificity of DMSS to detect each subtype ranged from 0.56 to 1 and from 0.88 to 0.98, respectively. This study suggests that the Dutch version of the DMSS is a reliable and valid instrument. The DMSS has scientific validity that could allow for greater precision in further research on motor subtypes.     

A cross-sectional validation study of the Swedish version of SWAL-QOL

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Swedish version of the Swallowing Quality of Life questionnaire (SWAL-QOL). The study design was cross-sectional and the study was performed in patients with subjective oropharyngeal dysphagia due to head and neck (H&N) cancer (n?=?85) or neurological disease (n?=?30) and in a sample of age- and gender-matched controls (mean age?=?63?years, 57% males) without subjective dysphagia (n?=?115). The Short-Form 36 (SF-36) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) questionnaires were used for assessment of convergent and discriminant validity. The Swedish version of SWAL-QOL was well accepted, the response rate was high (>90%), and the number of missing items were very low (<1%). Overall, the questionnaire showed good to excellent psychometric properties, including floor and ceiling effects (range?=?0-16 and 0-21%), internal consistency [Cronbach's α?>?0.70 for all domains except Eating Duration (0.69) and Sleep (0.68)], test-retest reliability (intraclass correlations?=?0.75-0.98) and convergent and discriminant validity as assessed by correlations between SWAL-QOL and SF-36 and HADS. SWAL-QOL also proved able to differentiate between dysphagic and nondysphagic patients (P?相似文献   

The Serbian version of the Epworth Sleepiness Scale

Purpose  

The Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) is extensively used for evaluating daytime sleepiness in patients with sleep apnea–hypopnea syndrome (SAHS). The aim of this study was to translate and validate the ESS in the Serbian language.     

Validation of the Spanish version of the Phase III ISAAC questionnaire on asthma.

The prevalence of allergic diseases in childhood has increased significantly over the last decades. This increase seems to be closely associated with the way of life of western societies. The high prevalence differences on different regions may be due to linguistic and cultural reasons and not to real variations in prevalence. This is the reason why several authors felt the need to perform an objective validation of their versions. Our working group has published the results of the Phase I validation and now is publishing the Phase III validation in order to guarantee the reliability of this phase results. The study sample is formed by 366 children aged 3 to 17 years. The following steps were followed in this study: I. Assessment of the "Criterion validity" of the Spanish ISAAC-Bronchial Asthma questionnaire, evaluating the sensitivity, specificity, relative value, and positive and negative predictive values. 2. Determine the questionnaire reliability, analysing its "Inner consistency". 3. Statistical comparison between our ISAAC-Bronchial Asthma results and the ones obtained by other groups (external concordance and consistency), in order to prove the previously evaluated reliability. 4. Comparison between the ISAAC-Bronchial asthma questionnaire diagnostic ability and the standard diagnostic criteria universally used in clinical praxis. We could confirm that there is a high and very significant concordance between the questions aimed to detect children with asthma. In this sense, it is especially useful the question about "ever had wheezing" because of its high sensitivity (93.3%) and specificity (89.9%), that make it able to be used as initial screening test in a general population, and that has shown a high concordance percentage with the questions "ever had asthma" (98%), "wheezing with exercise" (75%), and "cough at night"(80%). The questions that give more information about the evolution and control of the asthmatic disease are "wheezing in the last 12 months", "number of attacks in the last 12 months", "wakening at night", "wheezing with exercise" and "dry cough at night in the last 12 months". The questions more related to asthma severity were "number of attacks in the last 12 months", "wakening at night", "stop speaking in order to breath", and "wheezing with exercise". We conclude that ISAAC-Asthma questionnaire Phase III is a useful tool for the assessment of childhood asthma due to its criterion validity, inner consistency and external concordance.     

Validity and reliability of a revised Japanese version of the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales version 2 (AIMS2)

This study aims to evaluate the validity and reliability of a Japanese version of the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales, version 2 (AIMS2) for patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The Japanese version of the AIMS2 questionnaire was administered to 1643 patients with classical or definite RA at 11 hospitals nationwide in Japan. Reliability was assessed by a test–retest procedure, 4 weeks apart, using 75 randomly selected patients. Internal consistency was measured by Cronbach's α, and factor analysis was used to obtain the proportion of variance explained by the first factor in principal component analysis. The validity of the AIMS2 scales was assessed by internal standards. Internal consistency (α coefficients, 0.84–0.94), test–retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficients, 0.75–0.93), and factor analysis (0.62–0.85) of the AIMS2 health status scales proved that they are highly reliable in the Japanese version. Validity, as measured by the relationships among the scores on the questionnaire items, was also sufficiently secured. The validity and reliability of the Japanese version of the AIMS2 are sufficient for all practical purposes when compared with the original and with other translated versions of the questionnaire. Received: May 15, 2000 / Accepted: September 1, 2000     

Validation of a German version of the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ-G)

OBJECTIVE: To translate the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) into German and to evaluate its reliability and validity for the use of German speaking patients with fibromyalgia (FM). METHODS: We administered the FIQ to 55 patients with FM (15 patients filled out the questionnaire 10 days later) together with German versions of the Stanford Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), the Medical Outcomes Survey Short Form-36 (SF-36), and a tender point count (TPC). All patients were asked about the severity of pain today (10 cm visual analog scale) and the duration of symptoms. Tenderness thresholds were assessed by dolorimetry at all tender points with a Fisher dolorimeter and laboratory tests were obtained. Test-retest reliability was assessed using Spearman correlations. Internal consistency was evaluated with Cronbach's alpha of reliability. Construct validity of the FIQ was evaluated by correlating the HAQ and subscales of the SF-36 as well as the TPC and the tenderness thresholds. RESULTS: Mean age of participants was 54.3 years and mean duration of symptoms 9.5 years. Test-retest reliability was between 0.62 and 1 for the physical functioning as well as for the total FIQ and other components. Internal consistency was 0.92 for the overall FIQ. Significant correlations were obtained between the FIQ items, the HAQ, and the SF-36. CONCLUSION: The German FIQ is a reliable and valid instrument for measuring functional disability and health status in German patients with FM.     

Validation of a German Version of the Fatigue Impact Scale FIS-D

OBJECTIVE: The Fatigue Impact Scale, FIS, is an internationally used instrument for the assessment of the impact of fatigue on Health-Related Quality of Life, HRQOL, also in patients with chronic liver diseases. In the German-speaking countries a validated instrument for measuring the impact of fatigue on patients with chronic liver diseases has not been available so far. METHODS: The German linguistic adaptation of the FIS using a forward-backward procedure was administered to 204 patients (age 52,7 +/- 13,9 years; 47 % female, 53 % male, 45 % no cirrhosis, 22 % Child's A, 15 % Child's B and 17 % Child's C cirrhosis; 53 % with chronic viral hepatitis, 32 % with alcoholic and 15 % with other liver diseases) of a secondary care hospital. The following internationally accepted instruments were used for validation: The Short Form Health Survey, SF 36, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale German Version, HADS-D, and the Giessener Symptom Scale, GBB 24. Fifty patients in clinically stable situation filled out the FIS-D within 3 - 8 days. RESULTS: The acceptance of the FIS-D was high with 98 % answered items. The internal consistency of the three subscales was excellent (0.94 - 0.96), the test-retest reliability of the three subscales was good (0.72 - 0.83). The correlation coefficients with the validation instruments ranged between 0.49 and 0.80 (all p < 0 001). No differences in the FIS-D subscale scores were found in patients with and without cirrhosis and between the different Child-Pugh stages of liver cirrhosis. Patients treated with tranquilizer or antidepressants scored higher in the FIS-D than patients without this treatment (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The FIS-D is well accepted by patients in clinical routine care and has been shown to have good acceptance and reliability in the assessment of fatigue in chronic liver patients.