Quality of life evaluation in wounds: validation of the Freiburg Life Quality Assessment-wound module, a disease-specific instrument

Fixed partial dentures in adult patients with cleft lip and palate and their relationship with the quality of life: A cross-sectional clinical study

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

Reports on the impact of fixed partial denture treatments on the quality of life of patients with cleft lip and palate are lacking.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this cross-sectional clinical study was to assess the impact of fixed partial dentures on the quality of life of adults with cleft lip and palate.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A total of 52 participants (23 women and 29 men) with cleft lip and palate, aged between 20 and 50 years old, and who required treatment with fixed partial dentures were enrolled in the study. They responded to the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP)-14 questionnaire before and 30 days after the fixed prosthodontic treatment. The final value from the OHIP-14 was generated by totaling the 14 answers, giving a range from 0 to 56, with higher values indicating a worse relationship between oral health and the quality of life. Nonparametric statistical analysis was performed with the Wilcoxon test (α=.05).

RESULTS

Forty-six participants reported some negative experience before the fixed partial denture, and 48 indicated an improved quality of life 30 days after delivery. All domains assessed showed significant quality of life improvements between the periods compared (P≤.014).

CONCLUSIONS

Oral treatment with fixed partial dentures improved the quality of life in adults with cleft lip and palate.

SCI-QOL and WOUND-Q Have the Best Patient-reported Outcome Measure Design: A Systematic Literature Review of PROMs Used in Chronic Wounds

Chronic wounds are a significant burden on healthcare systems due to high costs of care (2%-4% total healthcare cost) and a considerable burden on patient's quality of life. Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are questionnaires developed to enable patient self-assessments of their outcomes. A gap in knowledge exists because previous reviews on wound-specific PROMs did not evaluate the quality of the development. The main question is which PROM has the best quality development properties and should be used in clinical care and research.

Methods

PubMed, Embase, and CINAHL were searched from their inception through December 2021. Studies that included patients aged 18 years or older, with chronic wounds, and who reported using a condition-specific PROM for wounds were extracted. We excluded generic PROMs, comments, guidelines, and editorial letters. The COSMIN-guidelines were used to evaluate the quality of the PROMs.

Results

Of the 16,356 articles, a total of 251 articles describing 33 condition-specific PROMs for wounds were used. In total, 17 of 33 (52%) PROMs were developed for specific wound types, and nine of 33 (27%) PROMs were developed for any type of wound. Two of 33 (6%) PROMs were not rated because no development article was available. Only the SCI-QOL (Spinal Cord Injury-QOL) and the WOUND-Q rated "very good" in PROM design.

Conclusions

Thirty-three condition-specific PROMs were found. Only the SCI-QOL and the WOUND-Q rated very good in PROM design. The WOUND-Q is the only condition-specific PROM, which can be used in all types of chronic wounds in any anatomic location.

Translation and validation of 17-item Wound-QoL questionnaire in a Chinese population

We aimed to translate the 17-item questionnaire to measure the quality of life of patients with chronic wounds (Wound-QoL-17) and verify its reliability and validity in the Chinese population. The standard Chinese version of the Wound-QoL-17 was determined through translation, back translation, and cultural adaptation. A total of 121 patients with chronic wounds from the wound center of a tertiary hospital in Beijing were recruited. Through a questionnaire and physical examination, we tested the criterion-related validity, known group validity, structural validity, internal consistency coefficient (Cronbach's alpha), and test-retest correlation. A new structure of four factors was extracted by exploratory factor analysis, and the cumulative contribution rate was 72.23%. The total score and that of the four factors, which were significantly correlated with the EuroQol Five Dimensions Questionnaire (EQ-5D) and the Short Form-36 Health Survey (SF-36) (P < 0.05), also showed statistically significant differences between patients with different pain grades, with or without wound odour, and between different groups of patients reporting wound changes in the past 2 weeks. Cronbach's alpha was between 0.779 and 0.906, while the test-retest reliability was between 0.532 and 0.802. We concluded that the Chinese Wound-QoL-17 has good reliability and validity and is suitable for evaluating the quality of life of patients with chronic wounds.

Rotationplasty Salvage Procedure as an Effective Alternative to Femoral Amputation in an Adult With a History of Osteosarcoma: A Case Report and Review

Rotationplasty or Borggreve-Van Ness surgery is lower limb salvage surgery, indicated mainly in the management of femoral bone sarcoma and congenital femur malformations in children. It can also be an interesting surgery option for managing chronic osteoarticular infections, or in cases of non union when curative therapy is no longer an option, as an alternative to femoral amputation. The principle of this surgery is to remove the affected knee and to apply a rotation of 180° to the distal part of the lower limb in order to give the ankle the function of a neo-knee. With the help of an adapted prosthesis, the aim is to allow patients to resume their social and professional activities by keeping most of their lower limb, thus avoiding the known complications of amputation (ghost limb pain, proprioceptive deficit, psychological disorders). Nevertheless, this surgery is complex and exceptional, with vascular, infectious, and psychological risks - the chimeric aspect of the lower limb may cause significant ill-being for the patient. This article reports the case of a 38-year-old patient consulting for management of a complex septic distal femoral non-union following osteosarcoma considered as being in remission. The patient underwent rotationplasty surgery on his left lower limb, with very good functional results and no surgical revision to date. In light of this particular case, we propose a didactic overview of the literature data concerning this surgery, especially in adulthood.

Health-related quality of life and chronic wound characteristics among patients with chronic wounds treated in primary care: A cross-sectional study in Singapore

Chronic wounds commonly decrease patients' quality of life. Understanding how chronic wounds impact a patient's health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) is important for healthcare service delivery and treatment management. This study explored HRQoL among patients suffering from chronic wounds and investigated associations with patients' socio‐demographics and wound characteristics. Two hundred and thirty‐three patients across six primary care clinics were assessed and responded to a survey that collected information on socio‐demographic, wound characteristics, and HRQoL using the EQ‐5D‐5L instrument. Data were analysed by descriptive statistics and generalised linear models. The mean age of patients was 61.2 (SD: 14.6) years; 68.2% were males; and 61.8% were of Chinese origin. Arterial ulcers had the greatest negative impact on HRQoL related to mobility, self‐care, pain/discomfort and anxiety/depression, and the lowest VAS mean score 62.31 (SD: 28.3; range: 0‐100) indicating the worst health. HRQoL related to mobility was significantly associated with age (β = 0.008, P < .001), non‐Chinese ethnicity (β = 0.25, P = .001), mixed ulcers (β = −0.41, P = .022), atypical hard‐to‐heal wounds (β = −0.38, P = .021), wounds with low (β = 0.24, P = .044) to moderate (β = 0.29, P = .018) exudate level, and a wound duration ≥6 months (β = 0.19, P = .033). The findings can be used to improve healthcare delivery for patients with chronic wound to optimise their HRQoL.

The Danish wound-quality of life (Wound-QoL) questionnaire: Translation and psychometric properties

Hard to heal (HTH) wounds often result in a prolonged and painful healing process that affects different dimensions of patients' quality of life. Currently, there is no Danish patient-reported instrument to help professionals and patients identify and measure these different aspects of quality of life. Wound-quality of life (Wound-QoL) is a German 17-item questionnaire measuring dimensions of wound-specific quality of life. The aim was to translate and cross-culturally adapt the Wound-QoL into Danish and to evaluate its psychometric properties. Translation was conducted in accordance with international guidelines. Validity, reliability and responsiveness were evaluated in accordance with the COSMIN guideline. The Wound-QoL was successfully translated to Danish and content validity showed to be very good in a Danish context. A total of 172 patients with HTH wounds were included in the study and all participants completed the Wound-QoL. Out of these, respectively 54 and 155 patients were included in the analyses of test-retest reliability and responsiveness. Correlations for construct validity (EQ-5D-5L vs. Wound-QoL) ranged between 0.64 and 0.73. Cronbach's alpha values for internal consistency ranged between 0.77 and 0.92. Intra-class-correlation coefficients for test-rest reliability ranged between 0.73 and 0.88. Smallest detectable change scores at individual and group level ranged from 0.77 to 1.26 and 0.10 to 0.17, respectively. Minimal important change scores ranged from 1.20 to 1.33. Results of the responsiveness analyses showed sensitivity and specificity values between 56.1 to 62.2 and 57.7 to 63.2, respectively. In conclusion, the Danish Wound-QoL is a valid and reliable patient-reported outcome measure for assessing aspects of health-related quality of life in patients with hard ho heal wounds. However, the Wound-QoL demonstrated limited ability to discriminate between patients with clinically relevant improvements and patients that showed no changes. Thus, the responsiveness of the Wound-QoL should be taken into consideration if to be used as treatment effect measure.

[Treatment of chronic hard-to-heal wounds with hyaloronic acid ester: a case series of six patients]

The treatment of chronic wounds is usually a major challenge for the involved medical staff. Various different treatment options have to be tested achieving a satisfactory result. In this retrospective case report, we describe successful treatments with hyaluronan acid ester fleece in six patients with chronic wounds of different origins. Furthermore, all patients received compression bandages or compression stockings, two patients were treated additionally with pressure relief devices and all were debrided if necessary. The chronic wounds of five out of the six patients healed completely over a period of 1.5-11 months or only with a minimal residual defect. However, one patient was still resistant to therapy over five months. In summary, the treatment with hyaluronan esters achieved good results especially in patients with complex medical history that makes a successful therapy particularly difficult.

Determining the Minimal Important Difference for the Wound-QoL Questionnaire

BACKGROUND

The questionnaire for the quality of life with chronic wounds (Wound-QoL) is a valid and reliable instrument to determine the disease-specific health-related QoL of patients with chronic wounds. For the interpretation of HRQoL scores, it is additionally important to know which differences in scores are considered meaningful. The minimal important difference (MID) is defined as a change in HRQoL that a patient would consider meaningful, such that the patient would judge a treatment to be beneficial and worthy of repeating.

OBJECTIVE

To interpret changes in the Wound-QoL scores and draw conclusions regarding the relevance of detected changes; the purpose of this study was to estimate the MID of the Wound-QoL global score and its subscales for patients with chronic wounds.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients completed the Wound-QoL before and four to six weeks after treatment and additionally gave a global rating of wound status change after treatment. The global rating of change served as an anchor question. MIDs were calculated based on an anchor-based and a distribution-based method.

RESULTS

In total, 227 patients participated in the study. The mean age of the study population was 66.9 (± 12.7) median was 69.5, and 51.5% of the patients were female. MIDs for the Wound-QoL global score ranged from 0.47 to 0.52, proposing an overall estimation of 0.50.

CONCLUSION

The results can be used to measure and interpret changes in wound-specific QoL over time.

Validation of the Spanish Wound-QoL Questionnaire

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The Wound-QoL is a validated and feasible questionnaire for measuring disease-specific health-related quality of life in chronic wounds, originally developed for use in German. The objective of this study was to translate the Wound-QoL for use in clinical care and in clinical trials in Spain and to validate this version.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Two independent fourth- and back translations of the Wound-QoL from the original German version were conducted, followed by an expert consensus of the resulting versions. After refinement, the final tool was piloted in N=10 patients and then used in the validation study.

RESULTS

A total of 115 patients were recruited. Mean age was 69.5 (SD 14.5) years, 60.0% were female. The Spanish version of Wound-QoL showed high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha>0.8 in all scales). Factor analysis resulted in the same scales as the original version. There were satisfactory distribution characteristics of the global score and the subscales. Construct validity and convergent validity with other outcomes (generic QoL, healing rate) were satisfactory. The vast majority of patients considered the Wound-QoL a simple and feasible tool. Mean time needed for completing the questionnaire was 5minutes. Overall, 99.1% of the participants found it easy to understand the questions and 94.7% stated that the questionnaire suits the personal situation.

CONCLUSIONS

The Spanish version of the Wound-QoL shows good validity in clinical practice. It can be recommended for use in clinical routine and trials.

A translation and preliminary validation of the Dutch Wound-QoL questionnaire

BACKGROUND

Chronic wounds have a major impact on patients' health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Therefore, measuring HRQoL is an indispensable part of the treatment of patients with chronic wounds. The aim of this study was to translate and validate the Wound-QoL, a wound-specific HRQoL questionnaire, in a Dutch population.

METHODS

The Wound-QoL was translated into Dutch according to the international standards. Patients with chronic wounds were asked to complete questionnaires at baseline (T0) and after six weeks (T1), including Wound-QoL, EQ-5D-3L (a generic questionnaire to measure HRQoL) and a visual analogue scale (VAS) measuring wound pain. If patients were not able to complete the questionnaire by themselves, it was read out to them by a nurse. Further data were obtained from medical records.

RESULTS

Of the 120 patients included, 64 (53.3%) completed the questionnaire by themselves. To 55 patients (45.8%), the questionnaire was read out. The internal consistency of the Wound-QoL global score was high at both time points (T0: Cronbach's α = 0.89, T1: Cronbach's α = 0.92). The item selectivity for global score ranged from r = 0.25 to r = 0.77 at T0 and from r = 0.40 to r = 0.79 at T1. Overall, the self-completion and read-out subgroups showed similar internal consistency and item selectivity scores. With regard to convergent validity, significant correlations were found between Wound-QoL and EQ-5D-3L (T0: r = - 0.45, p < 0.001, T1: r = - 0.50, p < 0.001) as well as between Wound-QoL and pain VAS (T0: r = 0.23, p = 0.012, T1: r = 0.37, p = 0.001) at both time points. Responsiveness analyses showed significant correlations between changes in Wound-QoL and changes in EQ-5D-3L (r = - 0.37, p < 0.001), pain VAS (r = 0.24, p = 0.044) and wound size (r = 0.24, p = 0.013). The self-completion and read-out subgroups showed differences in convergent validity and responsiveness.

CONCLUSIONS

The results indicate that the Dutch version of the Wound-QoL has positive psychometric properties. However, more research is needed to further explore the differences between self-completed and read-out questionnaires.

Mid- to Long-term Outcomes After Split-thickness Skin Graft vs. Skin Extension by Multiple Incisions

BACKGROUND/AIM

Skin extension by multiple incisions (SEMI) may be superior to split-thickness skin graft (STSG) for closure of large soft tissue defects.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Twenty-six patients who had undergone STSG were compared to 29 patients who had undergone SEMI on the extremities. Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale (POSAS), Dermatology Life Quality Index, Wound QoL (Quality of Life) and Short Form Health Survey 36 were used. Elasticity, thickness and skin sensation were compared between the treated and contralateral extremity. Range of motion in adjacent joints was measured. Complication rates were compared.

RESULTS

A total of 55 patients with a mean follow-up of 5.5 years (range=2-9 years) were examined. Patients with STSG had significantly worse scores in POSAS. The scar was thinner, less elastic and did not provide intact sensibility. Other scores, ROM and complication rates did not differ significantly.

CONCLUSION

SEMI was superior to STSG regarding patient satisfaction and scar quality.

Instruments to Assess the Subjective Repercussions of People with Chronic Wounds: Integrative Review

Objective: To analyze the instruments described in the literature for extended assessment in people with chronic wound. Materials and methods: Study of integrative review of the literature. The search was conducted on databases including PUBMED, Web of Science, SciELO, CINAHL, Science Direct (Elsevier), Scopus, and Biblioteca Virtual da Saúde (BVS). Results: The search found 19 060 articles; after relevance tests, 41 were left. The instrument most used in the studies of this review was the Short Form 36 Health Survery (SF-36), which is a tool to assess quality of life (QOL). Conclusion: A diversity of instruments was identified for extended assessment of people with wounds, with those investigating QOL being the most frequent. The repercussions are, mostly, contained in the QOL assessment instruments, but superficially and/or not explicitly, as in the SF-36, the means most-frequently identified in the studies of this review. These findings suggest the likelihood of differentiated implications of these instruments according to the etiology of the lesions, psychosocial and psychospiritual needs of the individual, as well as the context to which they are destined, like teaching, clinical practice, or research.

Validation of "Wound QoL" Hebrew version disease-specific questionnaire for patients with lower extremity ulcerations

The slow healing process and high recurrence rate of lower extremity ulcerations (LEU) impose a considerable medical and economic burden and affect quality of life (QoL). Analyses of LEU-related QoL in Israel are limited due to lack of a validated Hebrew disease-specific evaluation instrument. The aim of this study was to validate the disease-specific Hebrew "Wound QoL" questionnaire. The validation of the "Wound QoL" disease-specific instrument, translated from English to Hebrew, was based on a comparison with the valid Hebrew version of the SF12v.2 health-related questionnaire. The convenience sample for the "Wound QoL" validation (n = 32) was obtained from patient populations in the Maccabi Health Services' outpatient clinics at the northern and southern parts of Israel. The study was conducted between June and September 2017. Face/construct validity was accepted by specialists' consensus. Internal consistency assessed by Cronbach's α was .893. Concurrent validity reflected by Pearson's correlations between the tools was in the range of 0.830 to 0.950. The Wound QoL Hebrew version is a valid and reliable instrument suitable for implementation in an Israeli cultural environment.

Psychometric Properties of the Freiburg Life Quality Assessment for Wounds Among Burned Patients

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Psychometric performance of quality of life (QoL) instruments must be evaluated prior to use. The Freiburg Life Quality Assessment for wounds (FLQA-w) emerged as one possible tool for burned patients. The purpose of this study was to assess the performance of FLQA-w in this population.

METHODS

Composite reliability (CR) coefficients were estimated; convergent validity was assessed by Burns Specific Health Scale-Revised (BSHS-R), abbreviated QoL instrument (WHOQOL-BREF), and the visual analog scale; and responsiveness by comparing with the three visual analog scales.

RESULTS

CR coefficients of FLQA-w domains were suitable (0.72-0.88). Correlations were strong and negative (r = -.51 to -.76). Responsiveness was adequate-statistically significant changes were observed.

CONCLUSIONS

The results indicate reliable, valid, and responsive psychometric performance of the FLQA-w among burned patients.

Quality-of-life evaluation in chronic wounds: comparative analysis of three disease-specific questionnaires

The study directly compared the feasibility and performance of three instruments measuring health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in chronic ulcers: the Freiburg Life Quality Assessment for wounds (FLQA-w), the Cardiff Wound Impact Schedule (CWIS) and the Würzburg Wound Score (WWS). The questionnaires were evaluated in a randomly assigned order in a longitudinal observational study of leg ulcer patients. Psychometric properties (internal consistency, responsiveness and construct validity) were analysed. Patient acceptance was recorded. Analysis of n = 154 patients revealed good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha ≥ 0·85) for all instruments. There were minor floor effects in all questionnaires (<1%) and some ceiling effects in the CWIS. Construct validity was satisfactory, for example, correlation with EuroQoL-5D was r = 0·70 in the FLQA-w, r = 0·47/0·67/0·68 in the CWIS dimensions and r = 0·60 in the WWS. The proportion of missing values was higher in the CWIS, and overall patient acceptance was highest in the FLQA-w for wounds (54% best preferences) and lowest in the WWS (14%). In conclusion, the FLQA-w, the CWIS and the WWS are reliable, sensitive and valid instruments for the assessment of HRQoL in leg ulcers. However, they show differences in clinical feasibility and patient acceptance.

[A standard data set for the evaluation of venous leg ulcers in selective contracts : National consensus]

BACKGROUND

Selective agreements are becoming increasingly important in health care management. To date, no standard recommendations for the evaluation of selective contracts are available.

OBJECTIVES

Against this background, a recommendation on the evaluation of selective contracts in patients with leg ulcers (LU) was developed and approved by the nationwide consensus conference.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Based on a systematic literature review and followed by a manual search through other possible evaluation indicators in the care of patients with LU, a Delphi-based consensus process was performed by various scientific societies, professional associations, insurances and supply networks.

RESULTS

For the evaluation of efficiency and quality of care, a recommendation on the evaluation of selective agreements with patients with LU was consented in six meetings and in five multistage online surveys. In total, 44 evaluation indicators were identified in the quality subareas structure, process, and outcome. The outcome indicators are divided into clinical, patient-related, and cost-related indicators.

CONCLUSIONS

The developed evaluation indicators represent the quality of care in patients with LU. The indicators can be applied individually, depending on the agreed contract-specific supply target. After implementation of this national standard, the comparability of selective agreements in the management of patients with LU can be ensured and consolidated.

Epidemiology and use of compression treatment in venous leg ulcers: nationwide claims data analysis in Germany

Chronic venous diseases are the most common causes of leg ulcers. Compression treatment (CT) is a central component of venous leg ulcer (VLU) therapy along with prevention based on guidelines and clinical evidence. However, large-scale data on the use of CT are rare. In particular, there have not yet been published nationwide data for Germany. We analysed data from a large German statutory health insurance (SHI) on incident VLU between 2010 and 2012. VLUs were identified by ICD-10 diagnoses. The status of active disease was defined by wound-specific treatments. Compression stockings and bandages were identified by SHI medical device codes. The overall estimated incident rate of active VLU of all insured persons was 0·34% from 2010 to 2012. Adapted to the overall German population, n = 229 369 persons nationwide had an incident VLU in 2010-2012. Among all VLU patients, only 40·6% received CT within 1 year, including 83·3% stockings, 31·8% bandages and 3·1% multi-component compression systems. Compression rates showed significant differences by gender and age. Large regional variations were observed. Validity of data is suggested by high concordance with a primary cohort study. Although recommended by guidelines, there is still a marked under-provision of care, with CT in incident VLUs in Germany requiring active measures.

Quality of life assessment and use of patient-reported outcomes in practice

Background: Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are essential components of wound and vascular diagnostics and management. Aim: To provide an overview of PROs as diagnostic tools in the management of chronic wounds.

Methods: Review of different concepts on inclusion of PROs in wound practice from literature.

Results: PROs are indispensable sources of information for the understanding of the biopsycho- social context of wound diseases. Essential dimensions to be recorded are pain, health-related quality of life and patient benefit. Psychological parameters, adherence, treatment goals and treatment benefits are often needed. Further fields of interest include cumulative life course impairment, coping with disease, stigmatisation specifically applied according to clinical questions.

Conclusion: Patient-reported outcomes are mandatory for the diagnostic work-up of chronic wounds. They also provide essential information in the course of a disease, can be diagnostic clues for non-adherence and treatment failures. Measurement of many PRO parameters in wound disease, such as health-related quality of life and pain, is facilitated by validated instruments, which are recommended for practice.

[Challenges of aging skin: Care and therapy using the example of venous ulcers]

BACKGROUND

One of the most significant, and growing, challenges in modern medicine, i.e. the treatment of chronic wounds, is marked by nonuniform data. This concerns both prevalence and incidence of chronic dermatosis, in particular venous ulcers (ulcus cruris), as well as the impact on the health-related quality of life, and practical and economic parameters of the success of different therapies.

PURPOSE

The aim of this work is to examine the epidemiology of chronic wounds, in particular age-associated venous ulcers, their impact on health-related quality of life, the treatment regimen, and practical and economic parameters of the success of different therapies.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Performed were analysis of data on the care of venous ulcers in Germany, based on secondary data of Barmer GEK from 2009 and 2012, comparison with data of a NHS Kent Community Health Trust study, and analysis of studies concerning structures, processes and critical success factors for the treatment of chronic wounds, including economic effects.

CONCLUSION

Early causal therapy with treatment based on the stage of the wound, consequent goal-oriented interdisciplinary care, and relapse prophylaxis is critical for successful healing of venous ulcers. The costs of treatment significantly correlate with the duration of treatment which can be reduced by up to 60% using guideline-based concepts for the treatment of chronic wounds. Treatment success, in particular with regard to cost-benefit considerations, can be optimized by telemedicine networks of key players who treat chronic wounds.

Cultural adaptation and validation of the Freiburg Life Quality Assessment--Wound Module to Brazilian Portuguese

Objectives:

to adapt the Freiburg Life Quality Assessment - Wound Module to Brazilian Portuguese and to measure its psychometric properties: reliability and validity.

Method:

the cultural adaptation was undertaken following the stages of translation, synthesis of the translations, back translation, committee of specialists, pre-test and focus group. A total of 200 patients participated in the study. These were recruited in Primary Care Centers, Family Health Strategy Centers, in a philanthropic hospital and in a teaching hospital. Reliability was assessed through internal consistency and stability. Validity was ascertained through the correlation of the instrument's values with those of the domains of the Ferrans and Powers Quality of Life Index - Wound Version and with the quality of life score of the visual analog scale.

Results:

the instrument presented adequate internal consistency (Cronbach alpha =0.86) and high stability in the test and retest (0.93). The validity presented correlations of moderate and significant magnitude (-0.24 to -0.48, p<0.0001).

Conclusion:

the results indicated that the adapted version presented reliable and valid psychometric measurements for the population with chronic wounds in the Brazilian culture.

An exploration of the experiences of wound healing in military traumatic amputees and its impact on their rehabilitation

The aim of this study was to establish the effect that wounds had on the rehabilitation of traumatic amputees from the military patients' perspective. In particular it established which aspects of wound healing had the greatest impact in relation to living with a wound and the effect that military cohesion had on their recovery. The study was undertaken within the interpretivistic paradigm and followed an ethnographic design using semi-structured interviews. It contributes to the theoretical understanding of rehabilitation of the combat injured as no other study has been undertaken in this area in the UK. It captured the responses of this unique group as they reach the end of their journey through rehabilitation and detailed their reflections on the challenges they had faced and overcome. Analysis revealed that complications including infection, pain, foreign bodies and further surgery prevented the wounds from healing. The participants found this frustrating and they further highlighted time as an important factor in their journey. The military environment formed a culture in which patients learned from, and were supported by, each other. This was compared to a community of practice. In conclusion suggestions were made for practice, policy and education and further research in this area.

The "Wound-QoL": a short questionnaire measuring quality of life in patients with chronic wounds based on three established disease-specific instruments

The aim of this study was to develop a short questionnaire measuring health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in chronic wounds. Three validated instruments assessing HRQoL in chronic wounds-the Freiburg Life Quality Assessment for wounds, the Cardiff Wound Impact Schedule, and the Würzburg Wound Score-were completed by 154 German leg ulcer patients in a longitudinal study. For implementation in the new, shorter questionnaire Wound-QoL, all of those 92 items that covered the core content of the three questionnaires and showed good psychometric properties were selected. Internal consistency, convergent validity, and responsiveness were analyzed using the study data on the selected items (a new approach called virtual validation). Subscales were determined with factor analysis. Item, instruction, and response scale wording were harmonized. Seventeen items were included in the Wound-QoL, which could be attributed to three subscales on everyday life, body, and psyche. Both global score and subscale scores were internally consistent with Cronbach's alpha between 0.71 and 0.91. The global score showed significant convergent validity (r = 0.48 to 0.69) and responsiveness (r = 0.18 to 0.52); the same was true for the subscale scores. The Wound-QoL for measurement of HRQoL in chronic wounds proved to be internally consistent, valid, and responsive in German leg ulcer patients. The findings of this virtual validation study need to be confirmed in a longitudinal validation study on the final Wound-QoL, which is currently being conducted.

[Quality of life in dermatology. From measurement to practical implementation]

Health-related quality of life has not only been established as an important patient-reported outcome measure in patient care but has been defined as an evaluation criterion for therapies in the German Code of Social Law as well as in the guidelines of the American Food and Drug Administration and of the European Medicines Agency (EMA). Quality of life can be measured in a standardised manner. Validated questionnaires are available for recording specific problems of patients with, for example, skin diseases. Measuring quality of life has not yet been implemented into daily dermatological routine, although (1) studies have confirmed that the measurement of quality of life offers major benefits for the treatment of skin diseases, and (2) first experiences in implementing quality of life measurement into practice have been positive. The further implementation of systemically measuring quality of life requires advancements in automated measurement and the assumption of cost by social health insurances.

Measuring change in quality of life: bias in prospective and retrospective evaluation

OBJECTIVES

Treatment effects on health-related quality of life (QOL) often differ depending on whether they are measured prospectively (before and after treatment) or retrospectively (after treatment only). These two approaches can be subject to different sorts of bias: Prospective evaluations may be biased by scale recalibration (a changed understanding of the response scale), and retrospective evaluations may be biased by recall bias (a wrong assessment of former QOL).

METHODS

On the basis of an analysis of the literature, we present an overview on possible biases in prospective and retrospective measurement of QOL and how these biases are named and defined in the literature.

RESULTS

The definitions of different biases are inconsistent. Many authors do not clearly distinguish measurement bias from true change. Furthermore, some consider only scale recalibration or only recall bias.

CONCLUSIONS

Much of the current discussion on bias in prospective and retrospective QOL measurement suffers from unclear definitions, especially of "response shift" and "recall bias," or from neglecting one of the possible biases. We suggest more elaborate definitions for different types of bias and recommend taking both kinds of bias into consideration when measuring change in QOL. The relevance of the different biases depends on the type of study, and so either prospective or retrospective assessment may be more appropriate.

Health-related quality-of-life scales specific for chronic venous disorders of the lower limbs

OBJECTIVE

We conducted a systematic review of the literature about quality-of-life (QOL) scales in chronic venous disorders (CVDs) comprising leg ulcers to identify the respective advantages and deficits of existing tools.

METHODS

A research protocol was built following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement and the PICO (population, intervention, comparator, and outcome) criteria. The following databases were screened: MEDLINE, SCOPUS, EMBASE, CINHAL, and Cochrane. Psychometric and linguistic validation studies in English were included, as were clinical trials that have used QOL scales in CVDs. The data search was up to date as of October 31, 2013.

RESULTS

Inclusion criteria were met in 103 of the 511 recorded references, in which 10 scales were identified: two for the full spectrum of CVDs, three for patients with CVDs without leg ulceration, four for leg ulcers, and one exclusively for patients with varicose veins. Among them, the ChronIc Venous Insufficiency Questionnaire (CIVIQ), Aberdeen Varicose Vein Questionnaire (AVVQ), and VEnous INsufficiency Epidemiological and Economic Study on Quality of Life (VEINES-QOL) scales were the most highly used according to the literature, and CIVIQ and VEINES-QOL were the most extensively validated scales and had the longest iterative validation process. A total of 31 psychometric and linguistic validations of the 10 QOL scales and 66 clinical trials that have used these scales were identified. The validation studies were based on acceptability, content validity, construct validity, reliability, and responsiveness. The clinical trials were composed of 25 randomized controlled trials and 41 observational studies. Only the randomized controlled trials are considered in the present article.

CONCLUSIONS

This systematic review confirmed that CVDs have an important effect on QOL. The majority of the studies addressed the application rather than the validation of the 10 identified scales. Two scales, CIVIQ and VEINES-QOL, emerged as being thoroughly validated instruments, although factorial stability was not demonstrated for the VEINES-QOL. Our findings confirm a paucity of validation studies.

Holistic wound assessment in primary care

Wound care is expensive and can cause immeasurable stress and inconvenience to patients and their significant others. It is therefore in the best interest of the patient, their significant others and the NHS as a whole that wounds are expertly assessed, managed and healed in the quickest timeframe possible. Nurses play a pivotal role in the process of accurate holistic wound assessment, evaluation and treatment. This article aims to help further develop and enhance both professional and clinical wound care assessment and evaluation skills. Pertinent wound care literature is critically reviewed and the crucial nature and important components of comprehensive wound assessment for facilitating the highest possible quality wound care to patients are presented alongside recommendations regarding how the enhanced knowledge and skills could be applied into everyday wound care practice.

Public health and obesity: the role of the district nurse

The World Health Organization (WHO) (2012) estimates that half a billion adults in the world are classified as obese. This article outlines initiatives that could be undertaken by district nurses to reduce the prevalence of obesity and improve the statistics relating to morbidity and mortality from obesity-related conditions. As district nurses already have a complex caseload, the initiatives discussed by the author are simple enough to be incorporated into the assessments and health screening already being undertaken.

Negative pressure wound therapy literature review of efficacy, cost effectiveness, and impact on patients' quality of life in chronic wound management and its implementation in the United kingdom

This is a paper reviewing the National Health Service (NHS) agenda in relation to the use of Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) in chronic wound management and assesses the evidence behind it, its cost effectiveness and the outcome it has on patients' satisfaction and life style. Multiple studies over the last 10 years looking at clinical efficacy of NPWT with its cost effectiveness and the implementation of this service in the UK were reviewed. NPWT has showed a reasonable body of evidence to support its usage in chronic wounds with potential positive outcomes on finance and patients' satisfaction. However, the NHS system shows significant variations in the availability and implementation of this useful tool, depending on care providers and resources availabilities. The paper concluded that the NPWT can be a useful source of cutting down costs of chronic wound managements and saving money by its effect on expediting wound healing, which can address a part of the financial crises facing the NHS, however, has to be considered according to specific case needs. There should also be a national standard for the availability and indication of this tool to assure equal opportunities for different patients in different areas in the country.

Quality of care in chronic leg ulcer in the community: introduction of quality indicators and a scoring system

BACKGROUND

Treatment of chronic wounds is complex, particularly as a standard for the assessment and evaluation of quality of care is missing.

OBJECTIVES

To develop indicators for quality of care in chronic wounds in general, and to evaluate the quality of care in leg ulcers in Hamburg, Germany, in particular.

METHODS

Twenty indicators were derived from a national Delphi expert consensus to compute a single index of quality of care. This index was applied in a cross-sectional study involving a large spectrum of care providers and leg ulcer patients in the community. Trained wound experts interviewed and examined the patients, who had to complete standardized questionnaires.

RESULTS

On average, 64% of the quality criteria were met in the consecutive sample of 502 patients with chronic leg ulcers of any origin; 75% of the patients were satisfied with their wound care. Predictors of quality of care are presented.

CONCLUSIONS

This instrument is feasible, valid and ready for comparisons of patient groups, regions and care systems, and for optimization processes in wound care.

Efficacy, tolerability and patient benefit of ultrasound-assisted wound treatment versus surgical debridement: a randomized clinical study

BACKGROUND

Low-frequency ultrasound has been shown to be an alternative to surgical wound debridement (WD) to stimulate wound healing; however, few data are available.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the efficacy, tolerability and benefit of both wound treatment methods.

METHODS

A monocentric prospective randomized-controlled clinical study assessing patient-reported outcomes and clinical efficacy of ultrasound-assisted wound treatment (UAW) compared to WD.

RESULTS

In total, 67 patients were treated. Efficacy and tolerability were found to be good for both treatments, with 88% of UAW and 85.2% of WD patients experiencing more-than-minimal patient benefit. Quality of life improved significantly. Wound status improved and pain decreased in both groups.

CONCLUSION

Compared to the gold standard (i.e. WD), UAW displays the same high efficacy, comparable patient benefit and improved quality of life. Both procedures are equally suitable for highly beneficial guideline-based treatment of chronic wounds.

[Health services research in dermatology. Current status]

Assessment of benefits and quality of medical healthcare treatment is becoming more and more important. In order to accurately carry out this assessment and to assure a reliable planning of health care, valid data are needed. Health services research is an interdisciplinary field of research, which provides information on disease and health care and to uncover suboptimal and incorrect services. This information can be used to improve the quality of treatment and to increase efficiency. In order to obtain information on the health care for skin and allergic diseases the German Center for Health Services in Dermatology (CVderm) was founded in 2005. It is actively involved in the coordination and conducation of health care, collaborating with other university groups.

Why use topical antiseptics?

Not all wounds heal in a timely fashion at an expected rate. In many cases, this delay in healing occurs because an infection is present. In some cases, the infection manifests as a wound biofilm, with the wound developing a subtle form of inflammation. In such instances, topical treatment with antiseptics is warranted. This article describes when they need to be used