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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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Williams LA, Whisenant M, Mendoza TR, Malveaux D, Griffin D, Ponce D, Cleeland CS, Peek A, Granwehr BP, Hutcheson KA, Shaw KR, Ravi V, Woodman SE, Chung C, Aloia TA, Futreal PA, Jaffray DA, Subbiah IM. Development and validation of a novel patient-reported outcomes (PRO) measure for symptom burden in patients with cancer and COVID-19 infection. J Clin Oncol 2021. [DOI: 10.1200/jco.2021.39.15_suppl.12113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
12113 Background: The symptom burden experienced by patients with cancer who contract the COVID-19 (C19) infection remains to be fully understood. To accurately assess this symptom burden, we developed a valid, reliable patient-reported outcome (PRO) measure of C19 symptoms combined with a known measure of cancer symptom burden. Methods: Within the institutional initiative on COVID-19 and cancer named Data-Driven Determinants for COVID-19 Oncology Discovery Effort (D3CODE), patients with cancer and PCR-positive C19 tests were invited to participate in this longitudinal study after providing consent. Pts completed the EQ-5D-5L and the 13 symptom severity and 6 interference items of the core MD Anderson Symptom Inventory (MDASI) plus 14 COVID-specific symptom items generated from literature and expert review. Items were measured on a 0-10 scale, 0 = none to 10 = worst imaginable symptom or interference. Demographic and disease information was collected. Psychometric procedures determined validity and reliability of the MDASI-COVID. Results: 600 pts enrolled, mean age 56.5y (range 20 to 91y). 59% female, 80% white. 78% solid tumors, 19% heme cancers. 12.5% required hospitalization for C19. Median number of days between positive C19 test and PRO completion was 17 days. Mean overall health rating on EQ-5D-5L was 78.3 (SD 19.6), best being 100. Highest mean (M) severity symptoms on the MDASI-COVID were fatigue (M 3.45, SD 2.17), drowsiness (M 2.50, SD 2.89), sleep disturbance (M 2.44, SD 2.99), malaise (M 2.37, SD 3.05), and distress (M 2.27, SD 2.90). Most severe (≥ 7) symptoms) reported were fatigue (21.3% of pts), change in taste (14.8%), change in smell (14.4%), malaise (14.3%), sleep disturbance (14.3%), and drowsiness (14%). Internal consistency (Cronbach α) of the 27 symptom items was 0.957, of the 6 interference items was 0.937. Mean severity of the 27 symptom items was significantly correlated with overall EQ-5D-5L health rating (correlation = -0.45, P < 0.0005), demonstrating concurrent validity. Mean symptom severity and interference showed known-group validity between patients who required C19 hospitalization (symptom M 2.32, SD 2.09; interference M 3.29, SD 3.02) and those who did not (symptom M 1.69, SD 1.85; interference M 2.20, SD 2.64) (symptom P 0.007; interference P 0.004). Conclusions: We have validated a novel PRO, the MDASI-COVID, to quantify the combined symptom burden in patients with cancer and COVID-19. This measure allows longitudinal evaluation of COVID-19 on cancer symptom burden and provide clinicians with an accurate tool for ongoing symptom assessment and management. Longitudinal analysis on long-term symptoms related to COVID-19 and cancer are ongoing.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Tito R. Mendoza
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Donna Malveaux
- Department of Symptom Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Donna Griffin
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Darcy Ponce
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | | | - Angela Peek
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | | | | | - Kenna Rael Shaw
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Vinod Ravi
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | | | - Caroline Chung
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Thomas A. Aloia
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | | | - David A Jaffray
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
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Cleeland CS, Wang XS, Shi Q, Mendoza TR, Wright SL, Berry MD, Malveaux D, Shah PK, Gning I, Hofstetter WL, Putnam JB, Vaporciyan AA. Automated symptom alerts reduce postoperative symptom severity after cancer surgery: a randomized controlled clinical trial. J Clin Oncol 2011; 29:994-1000. [PMID: 21282546 DOI: 10.1200/jco.2010.29.8315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 243] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Patients receiving cancer-related thoracotomy are highly symptomatic in the first weeks after surgery. This study examined whether at-home symptom monitoring plus feedback to clinicians about severe symptoms contributes to more effective postoperative symptom control. PATIENTS AND METHODS We enrolled 100 patients receiving thoracotomy for lung cancer or lung metastasis in a two-arm randomized controlled trial; 79 patients completed the study. After hospital discharge, patients rated symptoms twice weekly for 4 weeks via automated telephone calls. For intervention group patients, an e-mail alert was forwarded to the patient's clinical team for response if any of a subset of symptoms (pain, disturbed sleep, distress, shortness of breath, or constipation) reached a predetermined severity threshold. No alerts were generated for controls. Group differences in symptom threshold events were examined by generalized estimating equation modeling. RESULTS The intervention group experienced greater reduction in symptom threshold events than did controls (19% v 8%, respectively) and a more rapid decline in symptom threshold events. The difference in average reduction in symptom interference between groups was -0.36 (SE, 0.078; P = .02). Clinicians responded to 84% of e-mail alerts. Both groups reported equally high satisfaction with the automated system and with postoperative symptom control. CONCLUSION Frequent symptom monitoring with alerts to clinicians when symptoms became moderate or severe reduced symptom severity during the 4 weeks after thoracic surgery. Methods of automated symptom monitoring and triage may improve symptom control after major cancer surgery. These results should be confirmed in a larger study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles S Cleeland
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Department of Symptom Research, 1515 Holcombe Blvd, Box 1450, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
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