Doing More Than Caring About Quality

Assessing the diversity and determinants of health-related quality of life measures in patients with acute heart failure

AIMS

Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) significantly impacts health-related quality of life (HR-QoL). Existing HR-QoL questionnaires can show inconsistencies, potentially misrepresenting patient self-reports. This study examines the variation in HR-QoL measurement tools for HFrEF patients, identifying related determinants.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We retrospectively analysed 134 hospitalized patients with acute decompensated HFrEF at a Taiwanese tertiary centre's Heart Failure Post-Acute-Care (HF-PAC) programme. Participants completed the EuroQol-5 dimension (EQ-5D) questionnaire, the EQ-5D visual analogue scale (VAS), and the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ). Utility values were obtained from the EQ-5D questionnaire. Demographic features were depicted using descriptive statistics, while multivariate regression was used to ascertain relationships between HR-QoL measurements and determinants. Average scores for EQ-5D, MLHFQ, EQ-5D utility, and VAS were 6.1 ± 1.6, 21.8 ± 21.3, 81.7 ± 27.0, and 59.5 ± 14.6, respectively. Significant correlations were observed among the three tools. The New York Heart Association functional class showed a notable association with all tool scores. Other associations encompassed EQ-5D with coronary artery disease, mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists, and the 6 min walk test; EQ-5D VAS with chronic kidney disease; and MLHFQ with age.

CONCLUSIONS

This study illuminates the variance in HR-QoL measurement tools for Taiwanese HFrEF patients. Using a range of these tools is beneficial in unveiling diverse determinants and approaching comprehensive patient-centred care. However, for a more precise HR-QoL assessment in Taiwanese HFrEF patients, recalibrating the EQ-5D-derived utility scores might be necessary, emphasizing the importance of patient-specific considerations within the HF-PAC programme.

[Measurement and analysis of leg length in adults with unilateral developmental dysplasia of the hip]

OBJECTIVE

To measure and analyze the radiographic characteristics of the leg length discrepancy in adult patients with unilateral developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH).

METHODS

The clinical data of 112 patients with unilateral DDH who met the selection criteria between January 2016 and June 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 16 males and 96 females with an age of 20-76 years (mean, 42.9 years). According to the Crowe classification, there were 25 hips of type Ⅰ, 26 hips of type Ⅱ, 15 hips of type Ⅲ, and 46 hips of type Ⅳ (26 hips of type ⅣA without secondary acetabular formation, and 20 hips of type ⅣB with secondary acetabular formation). Full-length X-ray films of the lower limbs in the standing position were used to measure the following parameters: greater trochanter leg length (GTLL), greater trochanter femoral length (GTFL), lesser trochanter leg length (LTLL), lesser trochanter femoral length (LTFL), tibial length (TL), and intertrochanteric distance (ITD). The above parameters on the healthy and affected sides were compared and the difference of each parameter between the healthy and affected sides was calculated. Taking the difference of 5 mm between the healthy side and the affected side as the threshold value, the number of cases with the healthy side was greater than 5 mm and the affected side was greater than 5 mm were counted respectively. The difference of the imaging parameters between the healthy side and the affected side were compared between different Crowe types and between type ⅣA and type ⅣB.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference in GTLL and LTFL between healthy and affected sides ( P>0.05); LTLL and TL of affected side were longer than healthy side, GTFL and ITD were shorter than healthy side, and the differences were significant ( P<0.05). The constituent ratio of long cases on the affected side of TL and LTLL was greater than the constituent ratio of long cases on the healthy side, while the constituent ratio of long cases on the healthy side of GTFL and ITD was greater than the constituent ratio of long cases on the affected side; there was no obvious difference in the constituent ratio of long cases on the healthy side or the affected side of GTLL and LTFL. The comparison between different Crowe types showed that only the difference in TL between type Ⅰ and type Ⅳ was significant ( P<0.05), the difference of each imaging parameter among the other types showing no significant difference ( P>0.05). Compared with type ⅣB, the differences of GTLL, TL, and ITD of type ⅣA were bigger, and the differences were significant ( P<0.05); the differences of other parameters between type ⅣA and type ⅣB were not significant ( P>0.05).

CONCLUSION

In adult unilateral DDH patients, the leg length on the healthy side and the affected side is different, and the difference mainly comes from the TL and ITD, which should be paid attention to in preoperative planning.

Are the correct outcomes being measured in studies of oral anticoagulants? A systematic survey

INTRODUCTION

Oral anticoagulant (OAC) intervention trials have typically included clinical event outcomes. However, there is no standard list of outcomes to be used in OAC research. This study aimed to describe and classify the outcomes used in recent prospective clinical studies involving OACs.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CINAHL databases from January 2009 to July 2019 for prospective studies with an intervention or control group that included one or more oral anticoagulants. We abstracted details about each included study and the outcomes used from the study report and its accompanying protocol. Using the Core Outcome Measures in Effectiveness Trials (COMET) Initiative recommendations, we categorised each outcome into one of five domains (mortality/survival, physiological/clinical, life impact, resource use, and adverse events). Our primary outcome was the prevalence of use of an outcome domain across studies.

RESULTS

We included 70 prospective studies, including 52 randomized controlled trials and 18 prospective cohort studies. A total of 121 different outcomes were reported. The COMET domains were represented in the 70 studies as follows: mortality (63/70, 90.0%); physiological/clinical domain (70/70, 100%), life impact domain (43/70, 61.4%), resource use domain (26/70, 37.1%), and adverse events domain (55/70, 78.6%).

CONCLUSION

Outcome reporting in prospective studies of OACs more frequently concentrates on mortality, physiological/clinical domains, and adverse events compared to life impact and resource utilization domains, the latter uncommonly used. A priority for future research includes developing a core outcome set (COS) for OAC research that represents all domains.

The Use of a Multidimensional Measure of Dialysis Adequacy-Moving beyond Small Solute Kinetics

Urea removal has become a key measure of the intensity of dialysis treatment for kidney failure. Small solute removal, exemplified by Kt/Vurea, has been broadly applied as a means to quantify the dose of thrice weekly hemodialysis. Yet, the reliance on small solute clearances alone as a measure of dialysis adequacy fails fully to quantify the intended clinical effects of dialysis therapy. This review aims to (1) understand the strengths and limitations of small solute kinetics as a surrogate marker of dialysis dose, and (2) present the prospect of a more comprehensive construct for dialysis dose, one that considers more broadly the goals of ESRD care to maximize both quality of life and survival. On behalf of the American Society of Nephrology Dialysis Advisory Group, we propose the need to ascertain the validity and utility of a multidimensional measure that moves beyond small solute kinetics alone to quantify optimal dialysis derived from both patient-reported and comprehensive clinical and dialysis-related measures.