The patient
-
Multicenter Study Observational Study
Psychometric Validation of the Heart Failure Caregiver Questionnaire (HF-CQ®).
The Heart Failure Caregiver Questionnaire (HF-CQ®) was developed to assess subjective outcomes of heart failure caregivers. The HF-CQ® comprises 21 questions on three domains, namely physical, emotional/psychological and lifestyle. The objective of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the HF-CQ®. ⋯ The study provides initial evidence for the acceptable validity of the HF-CQ® as an instrument to measure heart failure caregiver burden.
-
Multicenter Study
Assessment of a Stool Symptom Screener and Understanding the Opioid-Induced Constipation Symptom Experience.
Many patients with chronic opioid-induced constipation (OIC) seek treatment to relieve their symptoms. A symptom screener may be useful in identifying symptomatic OIC patients. ⋯ OIC patients understood this Stool Symptom Screener, and its content was relevant to this highly symptomatic patient sample. Pain and bloating may be considered as additional symptoms for future versions of the screener. An emerging conceptual model of the OIC experience, laxative use, and symptoms is presented.
-
Multicenter Study
Psychometric evaluation of the Cushing's Quality-of-Life questionnaire.
Cushing's disease (CD) is a rare disorder of chronic hypercortisolism due to an adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-secreting pituitary corticotroph adenoma. Because hypercortisolism symptoms are wide ranging, it is important to assess a variety of outcomes including both clinical factors, such as cortisol levels, and health-related quality of life (HR-QOL), to better understand the severity and impact of CD on patients and the potential efficacy of CD treatment. Pasireotide, a somatostatin analog that targets somatostatin receptors on the pituitary adenoma, is under development as a treatment for CD. A phase III clinical trial was conducted to investigate its safety and efficacy in patients with CD. In this trial, HR-QOL was assessed with the Cushing's Quality-of-Life (CushingQOL) questionnaire, specifically developed and validated in patients with Cushing's syndrome. ⋯ This study provided evidence within the context of a longitudinal design that the CushingQOL questionnaire is a reliable, valid, and responsive instrument for the assessment of HR-QOL in adults with CD in accordance with recommendations set forth by regulatory agencies in the USA and Europe.
-
Multicenter Study
Comparison of expected outcomes between patients and neurologists using Kano's methodology in symptomatic migraine treatment.
Our objective was to evaluate the potential usefulness of the Kano conceptual model to assess expectations of patients and neurologists in Spain regarding symptomatic migraine treatment. ⋯ Kano's methodology is a useful tool to analyze differences in migraine treatment expectations among patients and neurologists. The main difference between patients and neurologists related to basic priorities. Therefore, when selecting treatment for migraine, physicians should invite the patient to participate in the decision making of which treatment is more appropriate.