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Williams LA, Whisenant MS, Mendoza TR, Peek AE, Malveaux D, Griffin DK, Ponce DA, Granwehr BP, Sheshadri A, Hutcheson KA, Ali SM, Peterson SK, Heymach JV, Cleeland CS, Subbiah IM. Measuring symptom burden in patients with cancer during a pandemic: the MD Anderson symptom inventory for COVID-19 (MDASI-COVID). J Patient Rep Outcomes 2023; 7:48. [PMID: 37237077 PMCID: PMC10215036 DOI: 10.1186/s41687-023-00591-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Symptom expression in SARS-CoV-2 infection (COVID-19) may affect patients already symptomatic with cancer. Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) can describe symptom burden during the acute and postacute stages of COVID-19 and support risk stratification for levels of care. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, our purpose was to rapidly develop, launch through an electronic patient portal, and provide initial validation for a PRO measure of COVID-19 symptom burden in patients with cancer. METHODS We conducted a CDC/WHO web-based scan for COVID-19 symptoms and a relevance review of symptoms by an expert panel of clinicians treating cancer patients with COVID-19 to create a provisional MD Anderson Symptom Inventory for COVID-19 (MDASI-COVID). English-speaking adults with cancer who tested positive for COVID-19 participated in the psychometric testing phase. Patients completed longitudinal assessments of the MDASI-COVID and the EuroQOL 5 Dimensions 5 Levels (EQ-5D-5L) utility index and visual analog scale, which were presented through an electronic health record patient portal. To test the validity of the MDASI-COVID to distinguish between known groups of patients, we hypothesized that patients hospitalized, including having a hospitalization extended, for COVID-19 versus those not hospitalized would experience higher symptom burden. Correlation of mean symptom severity and interference scores with relevant EQ-5D-5L scores tested concurrent validity. The reliability of the MDASI-COVID was evaluated by calculating Cronbach alpha coefficients and test-retest reliability was evaluated by calculating Pearson correlation coefficients between the initial assessment and a second assessment no more than 14 days later. RESULTS The web-based scan found 31 COVID-19-related symptoms; rankings of a 14-clinician expert panel reduced this list to 11 COVID-specific items to be added to the core MDASI. Time from literature scan start in March 2020 to instrument launch in May 2020 was 2 months. Psychometric analysis established the MDASI-COVID's reliability, known-group validity, and concurrent validity. CONCLUSIONS We were able to rapidly develop and electronically launch a PRO measure of COVID-19 symptom burden in patients with cancer. Additional research is needed to confirm the content domain and predictive validity of the MDASI-COVID and define the symptom burden trajectory of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loretta A Williams
- Department of Symptom Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Unit 1450, Houston, Texas, 77030, USA.
| | - Meagan S Whisenant
- Department of Behavioral Science, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd, Unit 1330, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Tito R Mendoza
- Office of Patient-Centered Research Outcomes, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bldg. 82, Rm. B03A, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Angela E Peek
- Department of Electronic Health Record Ambulatory Access & Revenue, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Unit 1746, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Donna Malveaux
- Department of Symptom Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Unit 1450, Houston, Texas, 77030, USA
| | - Donna K Griffin
- Department of Symptom Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Unit 1450, Houston, Texas, 77030, USA
| | - Darcy A Ponce
- Department of Behavioral Science, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd, Unit 1330, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Bruno Palma Granwehr
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Unit 0402, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Ajay Sheshadri
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Unit 1462, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Katherine A Hutcheson
- Department of Head & Neck Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Unit 1445, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Sara M Ali
- Department of Electronic Health Record Analytics & Reporting, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Unit 1747, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Susan K Peterson
- Department of Behavioral Science, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Unit 1330, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - John V Heymach
- Department of Thoracic-Head & Neck Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Unit 0432, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Charles S Cleeland
- Symptom Assessment Systems LLC, 1416 Marconi St., Houston, TX, 77019, USA
| | - Ishwaria M Subbiah
- Sarah Cannon Research Institute, 1100 Dr. Martin L. King Jr. Blvd., Suite 800, Nashville, TN, 37203, USA
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