PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Janelle Yorke
AU  - Paul Corris
AU  - Sean Gaine
AU  - J. Simon R. Gibbs
AU  - David G. Kiely
AU  - Carl Harries
AU  - Val Pollock
AU  - Iain Armstrong
TI  - emPHasis-10: development of a health-related quality of life measure in pulmonary hypertension
AID  - 10.1183/09031936.00127113
DP  - 2014 Apr 01
TA  - European Respiratory Journal
PG  - 1106--1113
VI  - 43
IP  - 4
4099  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/43/4/1106.short
4100  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/43/4/1106.full
SO  - Eur Respir J2014 Apr 01; 43
AB  - The aim of this study was to develop a measure of the impact of pulmonary hypertension (PH) on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) as there is a need for a short, validated instrument that can be used in routine clinical practice. Interviews were conducted with 30 PH patients to derive 32 statements, which were presented as a semantic differential six-point scale (0–5), with contrasting adjectives at each end. This item list was completed by patients attending PH clinics across the UK and Ireland. Rasch analysis was applied to identify items fitting a uni-dimensional model. 226 patients (mean age 55.6±14 years; 70% female) with PH (82% had pulmonary arterial hypertension) completed the study questionnaires. 10 of the 32 items demonstrated fit to the Rasch model (Chi-squared 16; p>0.05) and generated the emPHasis-10 questionnaire. Test–retest (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.95, n=33) and internal consistency (Chronbach’s α=0.9) were strong. emPHasis-10 scores correlated consistently with other relevant measures and discriminated subgroups of patients stratified by World Health Organization functional class (ANOVA F=1.73; p<0.001). The emPHasis-10 is a short questionnaire for assessing HRQoL in pulmonary arterial hypertension. It has excellent measurement properties and is sensitive to differences in relevant clinical parameters. It is freely available for clinical and academic use. emPHasis-10 is a short, valid tool for routine assessment of health-related quality of life in pulmonary hypertension http://ow.ly/qv75v