Health-related quality of life in ANCA-associated vasculitis and item generation for a disease-specific patient-reported outcome measure

Social determinants of health as barriers to care for vasculitis: perspectives of patients and healthcare providers

OBJECTIVE

This study examined patient and healthcare provider (HCP) perspectives on the impact of unmet social needs on healthcare barriers for patients with vasculitis.

METHODS

Two surveys were developed to gather perspectives from patients with vasculitis, and HCPs specializing in vasculitis care. The patient survey also included a 20-question social needs assessment. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics.

RESULTS

One hundred patients and 31 HCPs completed the surveys between September 2022 and June 2023. Fifty-six percent of patients reported unmet social needs, with poor social and mental health (30%) being the most common. Sixty-three percent of patients with vasculitis perceived unmet social need(s) as barriers to healthcare access. Financial insecurity (30%), poor mental health (29%), and poor health knowledge (25%) were the most common barriers identified. Overall, HCPs perceived SDOH have a greater impact on healthcare access than the patients surveyed. Most patients (82%) and HCPs (90%) believed rheumatologists should help in the management of SDOH, specifically health knowledge and mental health. Few HCPs (10%) felt well-positioned to address patients' mental health. Suggested interventions that address social needs and improve healthcare access included referrals to community-based resources, providing educational materials, and virtual visits.

CONCLUSION

Through patient and HCP perspectives, the impact of SDOH on healthcare access for patients with vasculitis was explored. Understanding the positive experiences and challenges faced by patients is crucial for developing targeted interventions to enhance healthcare access. These findings underscore the importance of ongoing efforts to improve the healthcare experience for patients with vasculitis. Key Points • The impact of unmet social needs on healthcare access for patients with vasculitis, illustrates the complex relationship between SDOH and healthcare outcomes. • Unmet social needs among patients with vasculitis, included poor social and mental health, financial and food insecurity, and a lack of health literacy, which may exacerbate challenges leading to poor health outcomes. • The differences in perspectives between patients and healthcare providers regarding the impact of certain SDOH on healthcare access, necessitates the importance of co-production in the development of interventions to improve healthcare delivery. • The importance of patient-centered care and tailored solutions was highlighted by the need for various interventions to address social needs and improve healthcare access, such as referrals to community-based resources, educational materials, and interprofessional collaboration.

Enteric-coated Mycophenolate Sodium therApy versus cyclophosphamide for induction of Remission in Microscopic PolyAngiitis (EMSAR-MPA trial): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

INTRODUCTION

Several studies have demonstrated that mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) may be an excellent alternative to cyclophosphamide (CYC) or rituximab for the induction of remission in non-life-threatening anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies associated vasculitis because of its strong immunosuppressive potency and low toxicity profile. Enteric-coated mycophenolate sodium (EC-MPS) was introduced to reduce gastrointestinal adverse reactions of MMF. This study will evaluate the efficacy and safety of EC-MPS combined with glucocorticoid in patients with active and non-life-threatening microscopic polyangiitis (MPA).

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

This study is a multicentre, open-label, randomised controlled, non-inferiority trial. A total of 110 patients with active and non-life-threatening MPA from 11 hospitals in Shanxi Province of China will be recruited and randomised in a 1:1 ratio to receive either EC-MPS or CYC. All patients will receive the same glucocorticoid plan. We will compare oral EC-MPS (720-1440 mg/day) with intravenous pulsed CYC (7.5-15 mg/kg) administered for 3-6 months. All patients will be switched from their assigned treatment (EC-MPS or CYC) to oral azathioprine (2 mg/kg/day) after remission has been achieved, between 3 and 6 months. Azathioprine will be continued until the study ends at 18 months. The primary end point of efficacy is the remission rate at 6 months. Follow-up will continue for 18 months in order to detect an influence of induction regimen on subsequent relapse rates.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

This study has received approval from the Ethics Committee of the Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University (2022YX-026). All participants are required to provide written informed consent and no study-related procedures will be performed until consent is obtained. The results of this trial will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at conferences.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

ChiCTR2200063823.

Developing a disease-specific patient reported outcome measure to enhance understanding of the lived experiences of ANCA associated vasculitis: A protocol paper

Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) associated vasculitis (AAV) is a chronic, relapsing-remitting condition associated with increased morbidity. Previous research has shown patients with AAV report high levels of fatigue, pain, depression and anxiety. Over recent years successful work has been carried out to improve clinical outcomes, resulting in reduced mortality and end stage kidney disease (ESKD). Despite this, little work has been done to better understand the role of the patient within this condition. The prevalence of AAV is increasing and to date, there is a shortage of specific tools that assess and measure key features relating to patient reported outcomes (PROs). This protocol details how we can better understand the lived experiences of those with AAV through the development of a disease specific, patient reported outcome measure (PROM), to be used in clinic practice. This will allow us to recognise and validate PROs and the impact the disease and its treatment has on patients' health related quality of life (HRQoL). In addition, we aim to identify potential differences in PRO's between demographics, organ involvement and treatment subgroups in AAV as well as outcomes relating to the patient experience. Patients from a single centre in the UK will be recruited to take part in the exploratory qualitative study which will include focus groups and semi-structured interviews. The inclusion criteria comprise anyone with a diagnosis of AAV and willing to participate, including those who have active or relapsing disease, those are economically active, unemployed, retired and patients receiving renal replacement therapy. The aim of the project is to identify key issues patients experience in relation to their disease and its management and how these can be better assessed in a new PROM developed for use in the clinic setting. This will enable better delivery of individualised care and inform shared decision making, while also serving as a platform for future research looking at PROs in other glomerulonephritides.

Health-related quality of life in patients with ANCA vasculitides compared to rheumatoid arthritis: a cross-sectional comparative study

OBJECTIVES

There are limited data regarding health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with ANCA-associated vasculitides (AAVs). We aimed to evaluate the HRQoL in patients with AAVs and compare it to another chronic inflammatory disease like RA and to healthy controls (HC).

METHODS

This was a multicentre, cross-sectional study of patients with AAVs and RA recruited from three tertiary rheumatology clinics. HRQoL was assessed with the Short Form 36 Health Survey, which included the physical and mental component summary scores (PCS and MCS). Data from 1007 HC served as historical controls.

RESULTS

Sixty-six patients with AAVs and 71 with RA were included. Both AAV and RA patients had significantly lower PCS and MCS scores compared with HC (P < 0.05). HRQoL in AAV patients was worse in patients with microscopic polyangiitis compared with granulomatosis with polyangiitis (physical components) and those with high (VDI ≥ 3) vs low (VDI < 3) damage scores while it did not differ between those with active (BVASv3 ≥ 1) vs. inactive (BVASv3 < 1) disease. In contrast, in RA patients, HRQoL correlated both with disease activity (assessed by the DAS28-ESR) and functional impairment/damage (assessed by the HAQ). Although overall patients with RA had similar HRQoL compared with those with AAVs, those with active RA had worse HRQoL compared with those with active AAV.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with AAVs, HRQoL correlated more with organ damage and less with disease activity whereas in RA patients, it correlated with both. These data emphasize the need for AAV therapies aiming at preventing organ damage and thus improving HRQoL.

How is the patient perspective captured in ANCA-associated vasculitis research? An integrative review

Objective

The aim was to describe how the patient perspective is captured in clinical research on ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV).

Methods

This integrative review included 2149 publications found in four different databases and manual searches. After screening, 156 articles remained. All articles were sorted and categorized, and 77 original articles were analysed further.

Results

The patient perspective was captured with patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), single-item questionnaires, project-specific questionnaires and interviews. The most common aspects measured were health-related quality of life, anxiety and depression, and fatigue, and the least common were lifestyle habits, relationships and self-management.

Conclusion

The patient perspective was captured predominantly with generic PROMs and occasionally with a qualitative approach. AVV is a lifelong disease, and the results from this review show that not all aspects of importance to patients are covered with the PROMs used in research. Future studies should include the areas that are the most important for patients.

Patient-reported outcomes in vasculitis

Systemic vasculitis encompasses a group of multisystem disorders; both the diseases and the treatment strategies can have a significant impact on a patient's health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Using patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) and patient-reported experience measures (PREMs) to evaluate the patient's view of their condition, treatments, and healthcare journey is essential to the patient-centered care approach. In this paper, we discuss the use of generic, disease-specific, and treatment-specific PROMs and PREMs in systemic vasculitis and future research goals.

A glance into the future of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis

In the past decade, unprecedented progress has been made in understanding the pathogenesis, diagnosis, assessment, and treatment of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitides (AAVs). International collaborations and input from several fields (e.g. immunology, rheumatology, and nephrology) have been critical for analyzing demographics, disease manifestations, and outcomes in clinical research studies. Such efforts opened new avenues for generating novel questions and rationale to design better clinical trials. In addition, clinical research has been a source of several biological discoveries and the starting point for knowledge seeking on the pathophysiology of AAV. Interestingly, the blending of clinical and basic research provides a platform for personalized medicine. Despite recent revisions on AAV classification, the incorporation of new findings on disease genetics and immunologic responses may soon result in changes in clinical practice. These advances will enhance the selection of more specific and targeted therapies. However, current unmet needs in the management of AAV are still sizable and heavily impact long-term survival. Especially, frequent relapses, damage accrual, and high morbidity contribute to poor outcomes. Finally, the lack of defined biomarkers for disease activity and the prognosis is a permanent challenge in AAV research. Our work provides an overview of the current state of the art in AAV literature and suggests bridges for the remaining knowledge gaps. It offers potential future directions for the clinical assessment, management, and research in the field toward a more personalized medicine approach.

Psychometric properties of outcome measurement instruments for ANCA-associated vasculitis: a systematic literature review

OBJECTIVES

To systematically review the psychometric properties of outcome measurement instruments used in ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV).

METHODS

Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane, Scopus and Web of Science were searched from inception to 14 July 2020 for validation studies of instruments used in AAV. Following the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health status Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) and OMERACT frameworks, different psychometric properties (validity, reliability, responsiveness and feasibility) were summarized. Risk of bias was assessed according to the COSMIN checklist.

RESULTS

From 2505 articles identified, 32 met the predefined selection criteria, providing information on 22 instruments assessing disease activity (n = 7), damage (n = 2), activity and damage (n = 1), health-related quality of life (HRQoL; n = 9) and function (n = 3). Most of the instruments were tested in AAV as a group or in granulomatosis with polyangiitis only.The BVAS, any version, the Vasculitis Damage Index (VDI) and the AAV-Patient-Reported Outcome (AAV-PRO) have been more extensively validated than the other instruments. BVAS for Wegener Granulomatosis (BVAS/WG) has been shown to be valid for measuring disease activity [correlation with Physician global assessment (r = 0.90)], reliability (inter-observer intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.97), responsiveness and feasibility. For damage, VDI was shown to be moderately valid (correlations with BVAS version 3 at 6 months r = 0.14, BVAS/WG at 1 year r = 0.40 and 5 years r = 0.20), and feasible. For HRQoL, AAV-PRO demonstrated validity (correlations of the six AAV-PRO domains with EQ-5D-5L: -0.78 to -0.55; discrimination between active disease and remission, P < 0.0001 for all comparisons). The overall performance of instruments assessing function was low-to-moderate.

CONCLUSION

Among the 22 outcome measurement instruments used for AAV, BVAS (any version), VDI and AAV-PRO had the strongest psychometric properties.

Patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis' experiences of informational needs: A qualitative interview study

BACKGROUND

Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis is a rare chronic autoimmune organ- and life-threatening disease primarily affecting kidneys and lungs. The clinical symptoms of the disease vary considerably, and patients may display varied symptoms. Healthcare professionals believe that the patients are well informed about their disease and symptoms of relapse. However, some patients contact the Department later than expected after the debut of symptoms of relapse.

AIM

To investigate patients' experiences of informational needs living with anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis.

DESIGN

Individual semi-structured interviews by telephone due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were analysed through systematic text condensation. The Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research checklist was used.

PARTICIPANTS

Ten patients were diagnosed with anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies-associated vasculitis.

APPROACH

A qualitative study.

FINDINGS

We identified five themes: 'Need oral and written information in a combination', 'Need information about living with the disease', 'Need information about symptoms and indications of relapse', 'Need psychological support to receive information about the disease' and 'Need a peer for sharing information'.

CONCLUSION

To increase patients' self-management skills, healthcare professionals should focus on three areas of information: 'Provision of information', 'Content of the information' and 'Learning prerequisites'. This study indicates that patients have an increased need for more and clear information about the disease as well as psychological support to react accurately to symptoms that may lead to relapse. Most of the patients had limited knowledge, which indicates that patients need a better understanding of their disease, symptoms and relapse.

Patient reported outcomes in systemic vasculitis

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This review paper evaluates the use of patient reported outcome (PROs) in systemic vasculitis and the increasing incorporation of these measures in the evaluation of clinical outcomes and healthcare provision.

RECENT FINDINGS

Generic PROs such as the SF-12, SF-36, EQ-5D have been used to evaluate health-related quality of life (HRQOL) across the spectrum of vasculitis; including giant cell arteritis, antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-related vasculitis and immunoglobulin A vasculitis (IgA) vasculitis. More recently disease-specific PROs have been developed including the associated vasculitis (AAV)-PRO and GCA-PRO, whilst further work is ongoing including a Steroid-PRO.

SUMMARY

Generic and disease-specific PROs are complimentary in nature, but the advent of disease-specific PROs allows evaluation of the impact of specific symptoms and intervention on patient HRQOL. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the advent of increasing virtual work has brought the potential for electronic-PRO measures to the forefront and is a current area of interest.

Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients With ANCA-Associated Vasculitis and Sinonasal Involvement: A Single-Center Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to assess the impact of sinonasal morbidity on quality of life (QoL) in antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis (AAV).

METHODS

This cross-sectional case-control study enrolled 71 patients-44 AAV cases with (ear, nose, and throat [ENT]-AAV) or without ENT involvement (non-ENT-AAV) undergoing multidisciplinary evaluations and 27 chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) cases. Three validated QoL questionnaires (Sino-Nasal Outcomes Test-22 [SNOT-22], Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation [NOSE], and Short-Form 36) were administered, and the 3 groups were compared.

RESULTS

The ENT-AAV patients were significantly younger (p = 0.01), with less antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody positivity frequency (p = 0.035) and lower renal involvement (p = 0.003) than the non-ENT-AAV patients.The SNOT-22 questionnaire demonstrated significantly greater sinonasal morbidity in ENT-AAV patients compared with CRS patients (p < 0.001). The NOSE score of ENT-AAV patients was comparable to those of CRS patients, but higher than that of non-ENT-AAV patients (p < 0.001). The SNOT-22 and NOSE scores positively correlated with disease activity (p = 0.037; p = 0.004, respectively). Short-Form 36 domain-by-domain analysis revealed a significantly poorer QoL in ENT-AAV patients, especially with physical functioning being progressively impaired in CRS, non-ENT-AAV, and ENT-AAV patients (p < 0.001). No significant differences in QoL came to light when AAV patients were stratified according to current systemic o local treatments.

CONCLUSIONS

The QoL in AAV patients is significantly reduced, especially in the presence of ENT involvement. The AAV-related nasal morbidity is consistent and comparable to that reported by CRS patients. It significantly affects patients' QoL and in particular social functioning, leading to limitation in daily/work activities. Organ-focused questionnaires and multidisciplinary management are warranted to pursue a treat-to-target approach in these patients.

Vasculitis patient journey: a scoping review of patient experiences with vasculitis

In order to understand the vasculitis journey from the patient's perspective, the existing literature was reviewed regarding patient perceptions of vasculitis' effect on four main domains of health: physical, psychological, social, and financial. A scoping review was performed using CINAHL, Embase, MEDLINE, PsychINFO, and other sources (smaller databases and grey literature). Inclusion criteria included all forms of primary vasculitis, adult patients (≥ 18 years old), and patient perspectives regarding at least one of the four identified health domains. Aggregates of patient experiences with vasculitis were categorized into one of the four health domains: physical, psychological, social, and financial. Nineteen qualitative studies from 2294 total non-duplicated articles were included. Generalized themes emerged for each of the four domains. In relation to physical health, patients were most affected by fatigue. Psychologically, patients were most affected by anxiety. Socially, patients experienced decreased social participation due to lifestyle changes associated with disease and social perceptions of vasculitis. Financially, vasculitis patients had decreased employment due to functional decline. Each of the four domains contributed to a decreased quality of life associated with vasculitis. Decreased quality of life in vasculitis is due to multiple factors across several health domains. Understanding the patient's journey allows physicians to understand patient goals and to better support them in their recovery. Patients may also have an improved understanding of their journey and the most relevant health domains affected.

Utility of the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire to Monitor Patient Beliefs in Systemic Vasculitis

OBJECTIVE

To assess the validity and clinical utility of the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (BIPQ) to measure illness perceptions in multiple forms of vasculitis.

METHODS

Patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA), Takayasu arteritis (TA), antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis (AAV), and relapsing polychondritis (RP) were recruited into a prospective, observational cohort. Patients independently completed the BIPQ, Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI), Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short Form survey (SF-36), and a patient global assessment (PtGA) at successive study visits. Physicians concurrently completed a physician global assessment (PGA) form. Illness perceptions, as assessed by the BIPQ, were compared to responses from the full-length Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ-R) and to other clinical outcome measures.

RESULTS

There were 196 patients (GCA = 47, TA = 47, RP = 56, AAV = 46) evaluated over 454 visits. Illness perception scores in each domain were comparable between the BIPQ and IPQ-R (3.28 vs 3.47, P = 0.22). Illness perceptions differed by type of vasculitis, with the highest perceived psychological burden of disease in RP. The BIPQ was significantly associated with all other patient-reported outcome measures (rho = |0.50-0.70|, P < 0.0001), but did not correlate with PGA (rho = 0.13, P = 0.13). A change in the BIPQ composite score of ≥ 7 over successive visits was associated with concomitant change in the PtGA. Change in the MFI and BIPQ scores significantly correlated over time (rho = 0.38, P = 0.0008).

CONCLUSION

The BIPQ is an accurate and valid assessment tool to measure and monitor illness perceptions in patients with vasculitis. Use of the BIPQ as an outcome measure in clinical trials may provide complementary information to physician-based assessments.

Impact of caring for someone with a rare rheumatic condition, views from patients and informal carers-the need for cat-like vigilance

Objective

ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) is a rare multisystem disease. Modern therapeutic protocols have turned AAV from an acute, frequently fatal disease into a chronic disease requiring long-term immunosuppression. Patients must often manage substantial burdens related to chronic illness and treatment-related side effects, requiring help from informal carers. This study aimed to explore the experience of patients and of informal carers of patients with AAV about the impact of managing a rare rheumatic condition.

Methods

A qualitative approach using semi-structured interviews was used. Interviews were conducted with a purposeful sample of 18 pairs of patients with AAV and their informal carers. The interviews were used to explore the participants' experience and effects of caring. The interviews were recorded and transcribed as verbatim text and analysed using the framework technique.

Results

Eighteen patients (seven female; disease: 10 granulomatosis with polyangiitis; four microscopic polyangiitis; four eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis; age range 34-78 years; disease duration 1-20 years). Caregiver and patient perspectives were shared. The emerging themes were the physical and psychological impacts of the disease, the need for constant vigilance and fear of the future.

Conclusion

Both patients and carers faced a range of challenges in managing a rare condition, including the seriousness of the illness, dealing with the emotional toll and knowing what to expect. This study offers insight into the experiences of patients and informal carers, and health-care professionals should address individuals' fears and expectations for recovery.

No Difference in Cognitive Dysfunction Among Patients with ANCA-Associated Vasculitis, Rheumatoid Arthritis or Chronic Kidney Disease

OBJECTIVE

To characterize cognitive function in patients with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) in comparison with other chronic conditions, and to investigate its association with disease activity, and other psychological factors.

METHODS

Cross-sectional study including patients with AAV, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) (n = 30), and chronic kidney disease (CKD) (n = 29). Patients underwent a standardized neuropsychological battery (NEUROPSI). Sleep quality, fatigue, depression, and anxiety levels were assessed.

RESULTS

A total of 60 patients with AAV were included, median age of 54 years, and disease duration of 5.6 years. Prevalence of cognitive dysfunction (CD) in AAV patients was similar to RA and CKD (35%, 40%, and 39.3%, respectively, p = .88). When AAV patients with (n = 21) and without (n = 39) CD were compared, significantly more patients with CD had high disease activity (67% vs. 31%, p = .009). Abnormal performance was more frequent in the executive functions in the three groups (45% AAV, 51.7% RA, and 50% CKD), followed by language (25%, 13.8%, and 25%, respectively). Verbal and visual attentional tests were more frequently impaired in patients from the CKD group (p = .021), and psychomotor functions were more frequently affected in AAV patients (p &lt; .05). Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) total score (especially anxiety) was higher in patients with memory impairment than in those with normal memory function (M = 6.79, SD = 4.53 vs. M = 4.5, SD = 3.6, p &lt; .01). Neither Sleep Quality Index nor fatigue scale scores differed between those cognitively impaired and not impaired.

CONCLUSIONS

No statistically significant differences were found in the frequency of CD among the three clinical populations. (JINS, 2019, 25, 595-602).

Treatment of Vasculitis of the Nervous System

The diagnosis of primary central and peripheral nerve vasculitides should be established with certainty if suspected before commencing potent immunosuppressive therapy. The aim of induction therapy is to rapidly control the underlying inflammatory response and stabilize the blood-brain and blood-nerve barriers, followed by maintenance immunosuppression tailored to the likeliest humoral and cell-mediated autoimmune inflammatory vasculitic processes.

Systemic vasculitis and patient-reported outcomes: how the assessment of patient preferences and perspectives could improve outcomes

The systemic vasculitides are a group of multisystem diseases, which can be life and organ threatening. High-dose immunosuppressants are required to control inflammation in vital organs, such as the kidneys, lungs, skin, joints, and eyes. Patients report a range of impacts on their health-related quality of life due to symptoms, irreversible damage, and the adverse effects of medications. The measurement of patient perspectives within clinical studies in vasculitis is essential to capture outcomes of greatest importance to patients. Validated generic, disease-specific and symptom-specific patient-reported outcomes available for use in patients with systemic vasculitis are reviewed here.

Updating OMERACT Core Set of Domains for ANCA-associated Vasculitis: Patient Perspective Using the International Classification of Function, Disability, and Health

OBJECTIVE

Aspects of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies-associated vasculitis (AAV) prioritized by patients with AAV were described using the International Classification of Function, Disability, and Health (ICF).

METHODS

Items identified during 14 individual interviews were incorporated into an ICF-based questionnaire administered to participants of 2 vasculitis patient symposia: 36 in the United Kingdom and 63 in the United States.

RESULTS

Categories identified as at least "moderately relevant" by ≥ 5% of subjects included 44 body functions, 14 body structures, 35 activities and participation, 31 environmental factors, and 38 personal factors.

CONCLUSION

Identified categories differ from those identified by the current Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) core set and those prioritized by vasculitis experts.

Validation of the ANCA-associated vasculitis patient-reported outcomes (AAV-PRO) questionnaire

OBJECTIVES

To finalise and validate a disease-specific patient-reported outcome (PRO) measure: the ANCA-associated vasculitis patient-reported outcome (AAV-PRO) questionnaire. Using a 35-item candidate questionnaire developed following 50 qualitative interviews in the UK, USA and Canada, a longitudinal survey was conducted to determine the final scale structure and validate the AAV-PRO.

METHODS

Participants were recruited via Vasculitis UK and the Vasculitis Patient-Powered Research Network. The 35-item candidate questionnaire was completed at baseline and 3 months; UK participants completed the EuroQol-5D-5L (EQ-5D-5L), while US participants completed a test-retest exercise, 3-5 days after baseline. Scale structure was defined using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and Rasch analysis. Convergent and known groups validity, test-retest reliability and longitudinal construct validity were assessed.

RESULTS

There were 626 participants with AAV; >25% reporting 'active disease'. EFA and Rasch analysis supported a 29-item profile measure comprising six domains: 'organ-specific symptoms', 'systemic symptoms', 'treatment side effects', 'social and emotional impact', 'concerns about the future' and 'physical function'. Mean domain scores were higher for participants with 'active disease' versus 'remission' (p<0.001). Construct validity was demonstrated by correlations between domain scores and the EQ-5D-5L (range r=-0.55 to 0.78), all p<0.0001. In participants reporting 'no change' (n=97) during the test-retest, intraclass correlation coefficient values were high (range 0.89-0.96) for each domain.

CONCLUSIONS

The AAV-PRO, a new disease-specific PRO measure for AAV, has good face and construct validity, is reliable, feasible and discriminates among disease states.