The EQ-5D-5L is a valid approach to measure health related quality of life in patients undergoing bariatric surgery

Clinical outcomes and adverse events of bariatric surgery in adults with severe obesity in Scotland: the SCOTS observational cohort study

Background

Bariatric surgery is a common procedure worldwide for the treatment of severe obesity and associated comorbid conditions but there is a lack of evidence as to medium-term safety and effectiveness outcomes in a United Kingdom setting.

Objective

To establish the clinical outcomes and adverse events of different bariatric surgical procedures, their impact on quality of life and the effect on comorbidities.

Design

Prospective observational cohort study.

Setting

National Health Service secondary care and private practice in Scotland, United Kingdom.

Participants

Adults (age >16 years) undergoing their first bariatric surgery procedure.

Main outcome measures

Change in weight, hospital length of stay, readmission and reoperation rate, mortality, diabetes outcomes (HbA1c, medications), quality of life, anxiety, depression.

Data sources

Patient-reported outcome measures, hospital records, national electronic health records (Scottish Morbidity Record 01, Scottish Care Information Diabetes, National Records Scotland, Prescription Information System).

Results

Between December 2013 and February 2017, 548 eligible patients were approached and 445 participants were enrolled in the study. Of those, 335 had bariatric surgery and 1 withdrew from the study. Mean age was 46.0 (9.2) years, 74.7% were female and the median body mass index was 46.4 (42.4; 52.0) kg/m2. Weight was available for 128 participants at 3 years: mean change was -19.0% (±14.1) from the operation and -24.2% (±12.8) from the start of the preoperative weight-management programme. One hundred and thirty-nine (41.4%) participants were readmitted to hospital in the same or subsequent 35 months post surgery, 18 (5.4% of the operated cohort) had a reoperation or procedure considered to be related to bariatric surgery gastrointestinal complications or revisions. Fewer than five participants (<2%) died during follow-up. HbA1c was available for 93/182 and diabetes medications for 139/182 participants who had type 2 diabetes prior to surgery; HbA1c mean change was -5.72 (±16.71) (p = 0.001) mmol/mol and 65.5% required no diabetes medications (p < 0.001) at 3 years post surgery. Physical quality of life, available for 101/335 participants, improved in the 3 years post surgery, mean change in Rand 12-item Short Form Survey physical component score 8.32 (±8.95) (p < 0.001); however, there was no change in the prevalence of anxiety or depression.

Limitations

Due to low numbers of bariatric surgery procedures in Scotland, recruitment was stopped before achieving the intended 2000 participants and follow-up was reduced from 10 years to 3 years.

Conclusions

Bariatric surgery is a safe and effective treatment for obesity. Patients in Scotland, UK, appear to be older and have higher body mass than international comparators, which may be due to the small number of procedures performed.

Future work

Intervention studies are required to identify the optimal pre- and post surgery pathway to maximise safety and cost-effectiveness.

Study registration

This study is registered as ISRCTN47072588.

Funding details

This award was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme (NIHR award ref: 10/42/02) and is published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 28, No. 7. See the NIHR Funding and Awards website for further award information.

Quality of Life, Pedobarographic Parameters, and Foot Disorders in Patients with Extreme Obesity: Preliminary Results on Changes After Bariatric Surgery with Gastric Bypass

PURPOSE

Obesity is a growing health problem that affects a high percentage of the population. In podiatry context, few studies have addressed obesity because most pedobarographic systems are unable to bear the weight of patients with obesity, making it difficult to examine and manage these patients. The objective of this study was analyzed the sociodemographic characteristics, quality of life, foot disorders, and pedobarographic parameters of patients with extreme obesity who are candidates for bariatric surgery and determine the changes after weight loss post-surgery.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We conducted a foot examination, a pedobarographic study using a Podoprint® pressure platform, and a quality of life questionnaire (EQ-5D) on 23 patients with extreme obesity and analyzed the changes 12-18 months after surgery in 11 of them.

RESULTS

We observed foot disorders, high plantar pressure, greater rearfoot contact, flat footprint, asymmetries, and alterations in toe contact. Almost 73.9% of participants said they had foot pain, 56.5% said they had impaired mobility, and more than 40% said they had limitations in carrying out daily activities and suffered from anxiety. After weight loss, we observed improved quality of life; more foot disorders; changes in total contact area, plantar pressures, barycenter, contact time, and footprint; decreased pain perception, walking problems and anxiety situations. Moreover, medication decreased, but they need to take more vitamins and calcium.

CONCLUSION

Weight loss improved the quality of life of the participating patients but altered their foot disorders. All parameters need regular reassessment to detect changes and modify initially prescribed treatments.

Intermittent fasting for adults with overweight or obesity

This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows:

To assess the effects of intermittent fasting for adults with overweight or obesity.

Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, gastric banding, or sleeve gastrectomy for severe obesity: Baseline data from the By-Band-Sleeve randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVE

This paper reports the study design, participant characteristics, and recruitment results of By-Band-Sleeve, which investigated the clinical and cost-effectiveness of gastric bypass, gastric banding, and sleeve gastrectomy in adults with severe obesity in the UK.

METHODS

A pragmatic open adaptive noninferiority trial with 3-year follow-up was conducted. Participants were randomly assigned to bypass or band initially and to sleeve after the adaptation. Co-primary end points are weight loss and health-related quality of life assessed using the EQ-5D utility index.

RESULTS

Between December 2012 and August 2015, the study recruited into two groups and, after the adaptation, into three groups until September 2019. The study screened 6960 patients; 4732 (68%) were eligible and 1351 (29%) were randomized; 5 subsequently withdrew consent to use data, leaving 462, 464, and 420 assigned to bypass, band, and sleeve, respectively. Baseline data showed high levels of obesity (mean BMI = 46.4 kg/m2; SD: 6.9) and comorbidities (e.g., 31% diabetes), low scores for health-related quality of life, and high levels of anxiety and depression (e.g., 25% abnormal scores). Nutritional parameters were poor, and the average equivalized household income was low (£16,667).

CONCLUSIONS

By-Band-Sleeve fully recruited. Participant characteristics are consistent with contemporary patients having bariatric surgery, and therefore the results will be generalizable.

Risk for Poor Post-Operative Quality of Life Among Wearable Use Subgroups in an All of Us Research Cohort

The objective of this research was to build and assess the performance of a prediction model for post-operative recovery status measured by quality of life among individuals experiencing a variety of surgery types. In addition, we assessed the performance of the model for two subgroups (high and moderately consistent wearable device users). Study variables were derived from the electronic health records, questionnaires, and wearable devices of a cohort of individuals with one of 8 surgery types and that were part of the NIH All of Us research program. Through multivariable analysis, high frailty index (OR 1.69, 95% 1.05-7.22, p<0.006), and older age (OR 1.76, 95% 1.55-4.08, p<0.024) were found to be the driving risk factors of poor recovery post-surgery. Our logistic regression model included 15 variables, 5 of which included wearable device data. In wearable use subgroups, the model had better accuracy for high wearable users (81%). Findings demonstrate the potential for models that use wearable measures to assess frailty to inform clinicians of patients at risk for poor surgical outcomes. Our model performed with high accuracy across multiple surgery types and were robust to variable consistency in wearable use.

Phase II, double blind, placebo controlled, multi-site study to evaluate the safety, feasibility and desirability of conducting a phase III study of anamorelin for anorexia in people with small cell lung cancer: A study protocol (LUANA trial)

Anorexia is experienced by most people with lung cancer during the course of their disease and treatment. Anorexia reduces response to chemotherapy and the ability of patients to cope with, and complete their treatment leading to greater morbidity, poorer prognosis and outcomes. Despite the significant importance of cancer-related anorexia, current therapies are limited, have marginal benefits and unwarranted side effects. In this multi-site, randomised, double blind, placebo controlled, phase II trial, participants will be randomly assigned (1:1) to receive once-daily oral dosing of 100mg of anamorelin HCl or matched placebo for 12 weeks. Participants can then opt into an extension phase to receive blinded intervention for another 12 weeks (weeks 13-24) at the same dose and frequency. Adults (≥18 years) with small cell lung cancer (SCLC); newly diagnosed with planned systemic therapy OR with first recurrence of disease following a documented disease-free interval ≥6 months, AND with anorexia (i.e., ≤ 37 points on the 12-item Functional Assessment of Anorexia Cachexia Treatment (FAACT A/CS) scale) will be invited to participate. Primary outcomes are safety, desirability and feasibility outcomes related to participant recruitment, adherence to interventions, and completion of study tools to inform the design of a robust Phase III effectiveness trial. Secondary outcomes are the effects of study interventions on body weight and composition, functional status, nutritional intake, biochemistry, fatigue, harms, survival and quality of life. Primary and secondary efficacy analysis will be conducted at 12 weeks. Additional exploratory efficacy and safety analyses will also be conducted at 24 weeks to collect data over longer treatment duration. The feasibility of economic evaluations in Phase III trial will be assessed, including the indicative costs and benefits of anamorelin for SCLC to the healthcare system and society, the choice of methods for data collection and the future evaluation design. Trial registration. The trial has been registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry [ACTRN12622000129785] and approved by the South Western Sydney Local Health District Human Research Ethics Committee [2021/ETH11339]. https://clin.larvol.com/trial-detail/ACTRN12622000129785.

Measurement properties of the WHO Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 for evaluating functional status after inpatient surgery

BACKGROUND

Expert recommendations propose the WHO Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS) 2.0 as a core outcome measure in surgical studies, yet data on its long-term measurement properties remain limited. These were evaluated in a secondary analysis of the Measurement of Exercise Tolerance before Surgery (METS) prospective cohort.

METHODS

Participants were adults (40 years of age or older) who underwent inpatient non-cardiac surgery. The 12-item WHODAS and EQ-5DTM-3L questionnaires were administered preoperatively (in person) and 1 year postoperatively (by telephone). Responsiveness was characterized using standardized response means (SRMs) and correlation coefficients between change scores. Construct validity was evaluated using correlation coefficients between 1-year scores and comparisons of WHODAS scores across clinically relevant subgroups.

RESULTS

The analysis included 546 patients. There was moderate correlation between changes in WHODAS and various EQ-5DTM subscales. The strongest correlation was between changes in WHODAS and changes in the functional domains of the EQ-5D-3L-for example, mobility (Spearman's rho 0.40, 95 per cent confidence interval [c.i.] 0.32 to 0.48) and usual activities (rho 0.45, 95 per cent c.i. 0.30 to 0.52). When compared across quartiles of EQ-5D index change, median WHODAS scores followed expected patterns of change. In subgroups with expected functional status changes, the WHODAS SRMs ranged from 'small' to 'large' in the expected directions of change. At 1 year, the WHODAS demonstrated convergence with the EQ-5D-3L functional domains, and good discrimination between patients with expected differences in functional status.

CONCLUSION

The WHODAS questionnaire has construct validity and responsiveness as a measure of functional status at 1 year after major surgery.

Comorbidity and quality of life in obesity-a comparative study with the general population in Gothenburg, Sweden

CONTEXT

Obesity is considered to have a detrimental impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL).

OBJECTIVE

To compare HRQoL in a well-defined group of people with obesity with a population-based control group from the general public.

DESIGN

Observational cross-sectional cohort study with a reference population.

SETTING

The Regional Obesity Center at the Department of Medicine at Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.

PARTICIPANTS

People with obesity (n = 1122) eligible for surgical and non-surgical obesity treatment in routine care were included consecutively between 2015 and 2017 into the BASUN study. Men and women from the WHO-MONICA-GOT project were used as a reference population (n = 414).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

HRQoL was measured with the RAND-36/Short Form-36 questionnaire (SF-36) and a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for self-related health (SRH). Prescription drugs for hypertension, diabetes mellitus, depression, and anxiety were taken as a proxy for these conditions.

RESULTS

People with obesity rated their overall HRQoL lower than the reference population according to the SRH-VAS. Lower scores were reported on physical and social functioning, vitality, general and mental health after adjustment for age and use of prescription drugs (considered a proxy for burden of disease, or comorbidities) using the RAND-36/SF-36 questionnaire. Use of some psychopharmacological agents was more common in patients with obesity.

CONCLUSION

People with obesity seeking help with weight reduction are more likely to have lower physical and mental self-reported HRQoL than the general population.

Health state utilities associated with weight loss in type 2 diabetes and obesity

INTRODUCTION

Health state utilities associated with weight change are needed as inputs for cost-utility analyses (CUAs) examining the value of treatments for obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Although some pharmaceutical treatments currently in development are associated with substantial weight loss, little is known about the utility impact of weight decreases greater than 10%. The purpose of this study was to estimate utilities associated with body weight decreases up to 20% based on preferences of individuals with obesity, with and without T2D.

METHODS

Health state vignettes were developed to represent respondents' own current weight and weight decreases of 2.5, 5, 10, 15, and 20%. Health state utilities were elicited in time trade-off interviews in two UK locations (Edinburgh and London) with a sample of participants with obesity, with and without T2D. Mean utility increases associated with each amount of weight decrease were calculated. Regression analyses were performed to derive a method for estimating utility change associated with weight decreases.

RESULTS

Analyses were conducted with data from 405 individuals with obesity (202 with T2D, 203 without T2D). Utility increases associated with various levels of weight decrease ranged from 0.011 to 0.060 in the subgroup with T2D and 0.015 to 0.077 in the subgroup without T2D. All regression models found that the percentage of weight decrease was a highly significant predictor of change in utility (p < .0001). The relationship between weight change and utility change did not appear to be linear. Equations are recommended for estimating utility change based on the natural logarithm of percentage of weight decrease.

DISCUSSION

Results of this study may be used to provide inputs for CUAs examining and comparing the value of treatments that are associated with substantial amounts of weight loss in patients with obesity, with or without T2D.

Long-Term Quality of Life after Minimally Invasive vs Open Distal Pancreatectomy in the LEOPARD Randomized Trial

BACKGROUND

Minimally invasive distal pancreatectomy (MIDP) shortens time to functional recovery and improves 30-day quality of life (QoL), as compared with open distal pancreatectomy (ODP) for nonmalignant disease. The impact of MIDP on QoL, cosmetic satisfaction, and overall major complications beyond 1-year follow-up is currently unknown.

STUDY DESIGN

The Minimally Invasive Versus Open Distal Pancreatectomy (LEOPARD) trial randomized 108 patients to MIDP (laparoscopic or robotic) or ODP in 14 Dutch centers (April 2015 to March 2017). The primary outcome measure of this study was quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), as assessed with the EQ-5D. QoL was assessed using subscales of the EORTC QLQ-C30, PAN-26, and a body image questionnaire. The latter included a cosmetic satisfaction score (range 3-24), and a body image score (range 5-20). Differences between MIDP and ODP for QALYs, generic, and disease-specific QoL and body image were analyzed. Missing QoL data were imputed using multiple imputation.

RESULTS

In total, 84 patients were alive, with a median follow-up of 44 months; 62 of these patients (74%) completed the questionnaires (27 MIDP, 35 ODP). There was no significant difference in QALYs between the 2 groups (mean score 2.34 vs 2.46 years, p = 0.63), nor on the QoL subscales. Significant overall change in EQ-5D health utilities were found for both groups over time (p < 0.001). Patients in the MIDP group scored higher on cosmetic satisfaction (21 vs 14, p = 0.049). No differences between the 2 groups were observed for clinical outcomes such as major complications, readmissions, and incisional hernias.

CONCLUSIONS

More than 3 years after distal pancreatectomy, no improvement in QALYs and overall QoL was seen after MIDP, whereas cosmetic satisfaction was higher after MIDP as compared with ODP.

SurgiCal Obesity Treatment Study (SCOTS): a prospective, observational cohort study on health and socioeconomic burden in treatment-seeking individuals with severe obesity in Scotland, UK

OBJECTIVES

There is a lack of evidence to inform the delivery and follow-up of bariatric surgery for people with severe obesity. The SurgiCal Obesity Treatment Study (SCOTS) is a national longitudinal cohort of people undergoing bariatric surgery. Here, we describe characteristics of the recruited SCOTS cohort, and the relationship between health and socioeconomic status with body mass index (BMI) and age.

PARTICIPANTS/METHODS

445 participants scheduled for bariatric surgery at any of 14 centres in Scotland, UK, were recruited between 2013 and 2016 for this longitudinal cohort study (1 withdrawal); 249 completed health-related preoperative patient-reported outcome measures. Regression models were used to estimate the effect of a 10-unit increase in age or BMI, adjusting for sex, smoking and socioeconomic status.

RESULTS

Mean age was 46 years and median BMI was 47 kg/m². For each 10 kg/m² higher BMI, there was a change of -5.2 (95% CI -6.9 to -3.5; p<0.0001) in Rand 12-item Short Form Survey Physical Component Summary (SF-12 PCS), -0.1 (95% CI -0.2 to -0.1; p<0.0001) in EuroQoL 5-level EQ-5D version index score and 14.2 (95% CI 10.7 to 17.7; p<0.0001) in Impact of Weight on Quality of Life-Lite Physical Function Score. We observed a 3.1 times higher use of specialist aids and equipment at home (OR: 3.1, 95% CI 1.9 to 5.0; p<0.0001). Broadly, similar results were seen for each 10-year higher age, including a change of -2.1 (95% CI -3.7 to -0.5; p<0.01) in SF-12 PCS.

CONCLUSIONS

A higher BMI combined with older age is associated with poor physical functioning and quality of life in people seeking bariatric surgery treatment. Policy-makers must consider the health and care needs of these individuals and invest to provide increased access to effective weight management.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

ISRCTN47072588.

Psychometric properties of the EQ-5D-5L: a systematic review of the literature

PURPOSE

Although the EQ-5D has a long history of use in a wide range of populations, the newer five-level version (EQ-5D-5L) has not yet had such extensive experience. This systematic review summarizes the available published scientific evidence on the psychometric properties of the EQ-5D-5L.

METHODS

Pre-determined key words and exclusion criteria were used to systematically search publications from 2011 to 2019. Information on study characteristics and psychometric properties were extracted: specifically, EQ-5D-5L distribution (including ceiling and floor), missing values, reliability (test-retest), validity (convergent, known-groups, discriminate) and responsiveness (distribution, anchor-based). EQ-5D-5L index value means, ceiling and correlation coefficients (convergent validity) were pooled across the studies using random-effects models.

RESULTS

Of the 889 identified publications, 99 were included for review, representing 32 countries. Musculoskeletal/orthopedic problems and cancer (n = 8 each) were most often studied. Most papers found missing values (17 of 17 papers) and floor effects (43 of 48 papers) to be unproblematic. While the index was found to be reliable (9 of 9 papers), individual dimensions exhibited instability over time. Index values and dimensions demonstrated moderate to strong correlations with global health measures, other multi-attribute utility instruments, physical/functional health, pain, activities of daily living, and clinical/biological measures. The instrument was not correlated with life satisfaction and cognition/communication measures. Responsiveness was addressed by 15 studies, finding moderate effect sizes when confined to studied subgroups with improvements in health.

CONCLUSIONS

The EQ-5D-5L exhibits excellent psychometric properties across a broad range of populations, conditions and settings. Rigorous exploration of its responsiveness is needed.

Depression, anxiety and health status across different BMI classes: A representative study in Germany

BACKGROUND

Changes in body mass index (BMI) over the course of one's lifetime are related to the development of mental disorders. In the current study we compared symptoms of depression, generalized anxiety as well as general health status in the four BMI-classes: underweight, normal weight, overweight and obesity. Furthermore, mediator role of general health status on the relationship between BMI and depression and generalized anxiety was analyzed.

METHODS

A representative sample (random-route sampling) of the German population (N = 2350) was investigated in a cross-sectional survey by measuring the three questionnaires PHQ-9, GAD-7 and EQ-5D-5L.

RESULTS

The results showed significant differences between the four BMI-classes in all three questionnaires. Individuals with obesity demonstrated higher values in depression, anxiety and general health compared to the three other BMI-classes. However, there was no U-shaped association between BMI and depression, anxiety and health-related quality of life. Regarding to the mediation analysis, general health status fully mediated the association between BMI, depressive symptoms as well as generalized anxiety symptoms.

LIMITATIONS

The assessment of the three factors depression, anxiety and general health status were measured by questionnaires, but no clinical diagnoses can be provided.

CONCLUSIONS

Evidence supports that individuals with obesity have an increased risk for depression and anxiety as well as lower general health. Further research on potential intervention and strategies in public health policies is needed to be able to target the developing of mental disorders in individuals with obesity. Taking their general health status into account is also of great importance.

Responsiveness and minimal clinically important difference of the EQ-5D-5L in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia: a longitudinal study

Background

With the widespread clinical application of the five-level version of the EuroQol five-dimensional questionnaire (EQ-5D-5L), whether the questionnaire scores are responsive to changes in patients’ health and how much changes in questionnaire scores represent patients’ real health changes require consideration. Consequently, we assessed responsiveness and estimated the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) of the EQ-5D-5L in surgically treated patients with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) to determine the relationship between MCID and minimal detectable change (MDC).

Methods

We conducted a longitudinal, observational study. Participants were patients with CIN from the gynecology inpatient department of a grade-A tertiary hospital in Shihezi, Xinjiang, China. Participants completed the EQ-5D-5L and the Global Rating of Change Questionnaire (GRCQ) at baseline and one month post-surgery. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to compare EQ-5D-5L scores pre- and post-treatment. We calculated the effect size (ES) and the standardized response mean (SRM) to quantitatively assess responsiveness. Distribution-based, anchor-based, and instrument-defined methods were used to estimate MCID. MCID to MDC ratios at individual- and group-levels were also calculated.

Results

Fifty patients with CIN completed the follow-up investigation (mean age 44.76 ± 8.72 years; mean follow-up time 32.28 ± 1.43 days). The index value and EQ visual analogue scale (EQ VAS) of the EQ-5D-5L improved by 0.025 and 6.92 (all p < 0.05) at follow-up as compared to baseline respectively. The ES and the SRM of the index value were 0.47 and 0.42 respectively, indicating small responsiveness; while the ES and the SRM of EQ VAS were 0.50 and 0.49 respectively, indicating small to moderate responsiveness. The average (range) of MCIDs for index value and EQ VAS were 0.039 (0.023–0.064) and 5.35 (3.12–6.99) respectively. These values can only be used to determine whether patients have experienced clinically meaningful health improvements at the group level.

Conclusions

The EQ-5D-5L has only small to moderate responsiveness in post-surgical patients with CIN, and the MCIDs developed in this study can be used for group-level health assessment. However, further study is needed concerning health changes at the individual level.

Health state utilities for economic evaluation of bariatric surgery: A comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis

Health state utilities (HSUs) are health economic metrics that capture and assess health-related quality of life (HRQoL). They are essential in health-economic evaluations when calculating quality-adjusted life years. We investigated published studies reporting bariatric surgery-related HSUs elicited through direct or indirect (multiattribute utility instrument [MAUI]) patient-reported methods (PROSPERO registration number: CRD42019131725). Mean HSUs for different time points and HSU changes over time (where feasible) were meta-analysed using random-effects models. Of the 950 potentially relevant identified studies, n = 28 (2004-2018) qualified for data extraction, with n = 85 unique HSUs elicited mainly from the EQ-5D (88%). Most (75%) studies were published after 2013. The follow-up duration varied between studies and was often limited to 12 months. The pooled mean HSU was 0.72 (0.67-0.76) at baseline/presurgery (n = 18) and 0.84 (0.79-0.89) one-year postsurgery (n = 11), indicating a 0.11 (0.09-0.14) utility unit increment. EQ-5D showed the similar results. This positive difference can be partially explained by BMI and/or co-morbidities status improvement. This study provides a valuable summary of HSUs to future bariatric surgery-related cost-utility models. However, more well-designed higher-quality bariatric-related HSU studies are expected for future reviews to improve the available evidence. We suggest that researchers select an MAUI that is preferentially sensitive to the study population.

Enhanced recovery after video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery lobectomy: a prospective, historically controlled, propensity-matched clinical study

Background

Enhanced recovery pathways or fast-tracking following surgery can decrease the rate of postoperative complications and hospital length of stay. The objectives of this study were to implement an enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) pathway for patients undergoing a video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) lobectomy, to assess the safety and efficiency of this protocol by measuring associated postoperative outcomes, and to compare the outcomes for patients in the ERAS group with the outcomes for patients in a propensity-matched control group.

Methods

The study was a prospective clinical trial. Patients who were scheduled to undergo VATS lobectomy at the Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal in Montréal, Quebec, Canada, were enrolled between November 2015 and October 2016. The ERAS pathway was used for all enrolled patients. The primary outcome was the number and severity of complications measured by the Comprehensive Complication Index. Secondary outcomes included length of stay, readmission and recovery. Recovery of patients was measured using EQ-5D-5L preoperatively and at 1 week, 1 month and 4 months after surgery. Prospectively enrolled patients were propensity matched to historical controls.

Results

Ninety-eight patients (36 men and 62 women) in the ERAS group and 98 patients in the control group (29 men and 69 women) were included in the analysis. The mean age was 65.2 ± 9.3 years, the mean body mass index (BMI) was 26.9 ± 5.9 kg/m2 and the median Charlson Comorbidity Index score was 2 (interquartile range [IQR] 2-3) in the ERAS group. In the control group, the mean age was 66.2 ± 9.4 years, the mean BMI was 27.4 ± 5.6 kg/m2 and the median Charlson Comorbidity Index score was 3 (IQR 2-3). A total of 23 patients (23.4%) in the ERAS group and 28 (28.6%) in the control group experienced 1 or more postoperative complications. The mean Comprehensive Complication Index score was 7.4 ± 16.8 in the ERAS group compared with 8.0 ± 14.3 in the control group (p = 0.79). The median postoperative length of stay was 3 days in the ERAS group and 5 days in the control group (p < 0.001). Five patients in the ERAS group and 4 patients in the control group were readmitted. The protocol adherence rate was 64.3%.

Conclusion

It is feasible to implement an enhanced recovery protocol after VATS lobectomy. Although the pathway is still early in its development in Canada, implementation of an ERAS pathway after VATS lobectomy was associated with decreased length of stay, with no observable increase in complication or readmission rates.

Health related quality of life associated with extreme obesity in adolescents - results from the baseline evaluation of the YES-study

BACKGROUND

Obesity can significantly reduce health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and may lead to numerous health problems even in youths. This study aimed to investigate whether HRQoL varies among youths with obesity depending on grade of obesity and other factors.

METHODS

For the Youths with Extreme obesity Study (YES) (2012-2014), a prospective multicenter cohort study, a baseline sample of 431 obese and extremely obese adolescents and young adults (age 14 to 24 years, BMI ≥30 kg/m²) was recruited at four German university medical centers and one job center. Obesity grade groups (OGG) were defined according to BMI (OGG I: 30-34.9 kg/m², OGG II: 35-39.9 kg/m², OGG III (extreme obesity): ≥40 kg/m²). HRQoL was measured with the Euroqol-5D-3 L (EQ-5D-3 L), DISABKIDS chronic generic (DCGM-31) and the KINDL^R obesity module. Differences between OGGs were assessed with logistic and linear regression models, adjusting for age, sex, and study center in the base model. In a second regression analysis, we included other characteristics to identify possible determinants of HRQoL.

RESULTS

Three hundred fifty-two adolescents (mean age: 16.6 (±2.4), mean BMI: 39.1 (±7.5) kg/ m²) with available HRQoL data were analysed. HRQoL of youths in all OGGs was markedly lower than reference values of non-obese adolescents. Adjusting for age and sex, HRQoL of youths in OGG III significantly impaired compared to OGG I. Youths in OGG III were 2.15 times more likely to report problems with mobility in the EQ-5D-3 L than youths in OGG I. A mean difference of 9.7 and 6.6 points between OGG III and I were found for DCGM-31 and KINDL respectively and 5.1 points between OGG II and I for DCGM-31. Including further variables into the regression models, showed that HRQoL measured by DCGM-31 was significantly different between OGGs. Otherwise, female sex and having more than 4 h of daily screen time were also associated with lower HRQoL measured by DCGM-31 and KINDL.

CONCLUSION

HRQoL of adolescents with obesity is reduced, but HRQoL of adolescents with extreme obesity is particularly affected. Larger and longitudinal studies are necessary to understand the relation of extreme obesity and HRQoL, and the impact of other lifestyle or socioeconomic factors.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Clinicaltrials.gov NCT01625325; German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS) DRKS00004172.

OBEDIS Core Variables Project: European Expert Guidelines on a Minimal Core Set of Variables to Include in Randomized, Controlled Clinical Trials of Obesity Interventions

Heterogeneity of interindividual and intraindividual responses to interventions is often observed in randomized, controlled trials for obesity. To address the global epidemic of obesity and move toward more personalized treatment regimens, the global research community must come together to identify factors that may drive these heterogeneous responses to interventions. This project, called OBEDIS (OBEsity Diverse Interventions Sharing - focusing on dietary and other interventions), provides a set of European guidelines for a minimal set of variables to include in future clinical trials on obesity, regardless of the specific endpoints. Broad adoption of these guidelines will enable researchers to harmonize and merge data from multiple intervention studies, allowing stratification of patients according to precise phenotyping criteria which are measured using standardized methods. In this way, studies across Europe may be pooled for better prediction of individuals' responses to an intervention for obesity - ultimately leading to better patient care and improved obesity outcomes.

Low-energy total diet replacement intervention in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and obesity treated with insulin: a randomized trial

OBJECTIVES

The management of patients with long-standing type 2 diabetes and obesity receiving insulin therapy (IT) is a substantial clinical challenge. Our objective was to examine the effect of a low-energy total diet replacement (TDR) intervention versus standardized dietetic care in patients with long-standing type 2 diabetes and obesity receiving IT.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

In a prospective randomized controlled trial, 90 participants with type 2 diabetes and obesity receiving IT were assigned to either a low-energy TDR (intervention) or standardized dietetic care (control) in an outpatient setting. The primary outcome was weight loss at 12 months with secondary outcomes including glycemic control, insulin burden and quality of life (QoL).

RESULTS

Mean weight loss at 12 months was 9.8 kg (SD 4.9) in the intervention and 5.6 kg (SD 6.1) in the control group (adjusted mean difference -4.3 kg, 95% CI -6.3 to 2.3, p<0.001). IT was discontinued in 39.4% of the intervention group compared with 5.6% of the control group among completers. Insulin requirements fell by 47.3 units (SD 36.4) in the intervention compared with 33.3 units (SD 52.9) in the control (-18.6 units, 95% CI -29.2 to -7.9, p=0.001). Glycated Hemoglobin (HbA1c) fell significantly in the intervention group (4.7 mmol/mol; p=0.02). QoL improved in the intervention group of 11.1 points (SD 21.8) compared with 0.71 points (SD 19.4) in the control (8.6 points, 95% CI 2.0 to 15.2, p=0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with advanced type 2 diabetes and obesity receiving IT achieved greater weight loss using a TDR intervention while also reducing or stopping IT and improving glycemic control and QoL. The TDR approach is a safe treatment option in this challenging patient group but requires maintenance support for long-term success.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

ISRCTN21335883.

Assessing the validity of EQ-5D-5L in people with head & neck cancer: Does a generic quality of life measure perform as well as a disease-specific measure in a patient population?

BACKGROUND

Head and neck cancer (HNC) is an important cause of morbidity and mortality globally. Radical treatment methods may result in facial disfigurement and/or functional difficulties with subsequent adverse impacts on health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Guidelines suggest that HRQoL should be measured repeatedly throughout treatment to enable refined treatment protocols and tailored follow-up support but questionnaires are often long and burdensome. We compared condition-specific and generic metrics to assess HRQoL for people with this condition.

METHODS

We used data from the prospective Head and Neck 5000 clinical cohort study - 5511 participants with a new diagnosis of HNC between 2011 and 2014. HRQoL data were collected at baseline from 2065 people who completed both the condition-specific EORTC-QLQ-C30 and the shorter, generic EQ-5D-5L questionnaires.

RESULTS

There was strong evidence of association between comparable scales on each questionnaire at baseline: higher levels of functioning and lower levels of reported symptoms assessed with EQ-5D-5L were associated with lower EORTC-QLQ-C30 symptom scores. A moderate relationship (0.61) was found between overall QoL in the EQ-5D-5L index and self-perceived health (EQ VAS).

CONCLUSIONS

HRQoL data collected from the generic EQ-5D-5L and cancer-specific EORTC-QLQ-C30 questionnaires are comparable at baseline for people diagnosed with HNC. This would allow a reduced burden of data collection but the EQ-5D-5L may not be sensitive to some condition-specific symptoms. Clinicians and researchers must clarify their aims and outcomes of interest before choosing their HRQoL measures. Further work is required to examine the ability to detect change in these measures over time.

The types of caregiving reactions experienced by the older spouse caregivers

AIMS

To examine factors associated with the four types of caregiver reactions according to the modified Caregiver Reaction Assessment (mCRA) and assess the differences in the narrative assessment from spouse caregivers between the high-positive and high-negative caregiver reactions.

BACKGROUND

There is a limited understanding of the factors contributing to positive and negative reactions among older spouse caregivers with chronic illnesses. Narrative assessment from spouse caregivers has not been studied before.

DESIGN

The study design was a paired-sample, mixed-method survey design. Data were collected from spouse caregivers (≥55 years old) and care-recipients in one medical institute from February 2017-December 2017. This manuscript used STROBE checklist to ensure complete reporting.

METHODS

Demographic, socioeconomic, Frailty Index, perceived stress, and quality of life data were gathered from caregiver dyads. mCRA, relationship, and life satisfaction data were collected from caregivers. mCRA identified the four types of caregiver reactions: (a) high-positive, low-negative; (b) high-positive, high-negative; (c) low-positive, high-negative; and (d) low-positive, low-negative. A qualitative interview was conducted to understand the differences in the narrative and choice of words used to describe caregiving experience.

RESULTS

Seventy-five caregiver dyads were recruited. Total perceived stress was found to be negatively associated with high-positive, low-negative caregiver reaction (baseline category: low-positive, high-negative) by multinomial logistic regression. Content analyses showed that low-positive and high-negative caregivers used words that implied a lack of volition. Caregivers with positive experience viewed caregiving as a responsibility; the opposite viewed it as having 'no choice'.

CONCLUSIONS

Perceived stress is an important indicator of caregiver reactions. Words used when describing caregiving experiences can potentially depict the spouse caregivers' current state of being as a caregiver.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

Spouse caregiver's narrative of their caregiving experience may provide easy and quick insights if interventions are needed. Early identification of negative reactions will allow for prompt interventions in mitigating caregivers' stress.

Cross cultural adaptation and validation of the Malay Kidney Disease Quality of Life (KDQOL-36™)

Background

In Malaysia, the prevalence of chronic kidney disease is high (9.1%). To date, no questionnaire that specifically assesses the health-related quality of life of patients with chronic kidney disease has been validated in Malaysia. Malay is the national language of Malaysia and spoken by the majority of its citizens. Therefore, the aim of our study was to cross-culturally adapt and validate the Malay Kidney Disease Quality of Life-36 (KDQOL-36) among patients with chronic kidney disease.

Methods

The English version of the KDQOL-36 was translated according to international guidelines to Malay. Content validity was verified by an expert panel and piloted in five patients. Our instrument was then administered to patients with chronic kidney disease stage 1-3A and patients on hemodialysis at baseline and 4 weeks later.

Results

A total of 181/232 patients agreed to participate (response rate = 78.0%). The majority were male (69.6%) with a median age of 51.0 years. Exploratory factor analysis found that the KDQOL-36 had three domains. All three domains showed low to moderate correlation (Spearman’s Rho = 0.297–0.610) with the Europe Quality of Life Five Dimension questionnaire. Patients on hemodialysis (physical component summary = 39.8; mental component summary = 53.1;burden of disease = 37.5; symptoms/burden list = 75.0; effects of kidney disease on daily life = 68.8) had significantly worse quality of life than patients with chronic kidney disease stage 1-3A (physical component summary = 49.9; mental component summary = 52.9; burden of disease = 75.0; symptoms/burden list = 85.4; effects of kidney disease on daily life = 93.8, p < 0.001) except for the mental component summary. This indicates that the Malay KDQOL-36 has achieved adequate known-groups validity. Cronbach alpha ranged from 0.872–0.901, indicating adequate internal consistency. At retest, intraclass correlation coefficient ranged from 0.584–0.902, indicating moderate to good correlation.

Conclusion

The Malay Kidney Disease Quality of Life-36 was found to be a valid and reliable tool to assess the quality of life in patients with chronic kidney disease. This tool can now be used to assess the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients with chronic kidney disease, as HRQOL is an important independent predictor of patient outcome.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12882-019-1397-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Delivery of Peer Support Through a Self-Management mHealth Intervention (Healing Circles) in Patients With Cardiovascular Disease: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial

Background

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of hospitalization and death around the world. The prevalence of CVD is increasing and, therefore, development and investigation of effective programs to help people better self-manage their CVD and prevent secondary complications are needed.

Objective

In this paper, we report on a protocol to evaluate Healing Circles—an evidence-based and patient-informed peer support mobile health program designed to facilitate self-management and support patients in their recovery from and management of CVD. We hypothesize that individuals with CVD who use Healing Circles will experience greater improvements to their self-management ability than individuals receiving usual care.

Methods

In this single-blinded (assessor) randomized controlled trial, 250 community-living individuals with CVD will be randomized on a 1:1 basis to either Healing Circles or Usual Care. The primary outcome of self-management will be measured using the Health Education Impact Questionnaire version 3.0. Secondary outcomes include self-efficacy with chronic disease management, health-related quality of life, health resource use and costs, and electronic health literacy. Measurements will be taken at the baseline and every 6 months for 24 months.

Results

The study started recruitment in September 2017. Individuals are currently being recruited for participation, and existing participants are currently on follow-up. Measurements will be taken every 6 months until the study end, which is anticipated in December 2019.

Conclusions

Healing Circles is a novel program aimed toward improving self-management through peer support. Given our real-world study design, our findings will be readily translatable into practice. If the results support our hypothesis, it will indicate that Healing Circles is an effective intervention for improving self-management and reducing health care use.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03159325; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03159325 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/74DvxVKUd)

International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)

DERR1-10.2196/12322

Recommendations on the most suitable quality-of-life measurement instruments for bariatric and body contouring surgery: a systematic review

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study is to systematically assess the quality of existing patient-reported outcome measures developed and/or validated for Quality of Life measurement in bariatric surgery (BS) and body contouring surgery (BCS).

METHODS

We conducted a systematic literature search in PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Cochrane Database Systematic Reviews and CENTRAL identifying studies on measurement properties of BS and BCS Quality of Life instruments. For all eligible studies, we evaluated the methodological quality of the studies by using the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments checklist and the quality of the measurement instruments by applying quality criteria. Four degrees of recommendation were assigned to validated instruments (A-D).

RESULTS

Out of 4,354 articles, a total of 26 articles describing 24 instruments were included. No instrument met all requirements (category A). Seven instruments have the potential to be recommended depending on further validation studies (category B). Of these seven, the BODY-Q has the strongest evidence for content validity in BS and BCS. Two instruments had poor quality in at least one required quality criterion (category C). Fifteen instruments were minimally validated (category D).

CONCLUSION

The BODY-Q, developed for BS and BCS, possessed the strongest evidence for quality of measurement properties and has the potential to be recommended in future clinical trials.