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Background/aimsThe generic quality of life KINDL-R -questionnaire is validated for use in children/adolescents ≤16 years. The aim of this cross-sectional investigation was to modify the KINDL-R questionnaire for use in adults and to validate its psychometric properties.MethodsFive items of the KINDL-R questionnaire were adapted and the newly developed KINDL-A(dult) questionnaire administered to 255 patients with hereditary and acquired bleeding disorders (mean age 53 years). Its internal consistency and convergent and divergent construct validity were investigated and confirmatory factor analysis was used to evaluate the latent factor structure.ResultsThe KINDL-A questionnaire showed satisfactory reliability, varying construct validity, but inconclusive factor structure. The KINDL-AB(rief) was developed by removing half of the items and combining 2 sub-axes. This led to factor loadings between 0.62 and 0.91 and increased overall fit (Goodness of fit > 0.8 and Root Mean Square Error of Approximation, RMSEA, < 0.08). Results were validated in 966 healthy blood donors (mean age 38 years). In this group, the KINDL-AB questionnaire showed factor loadings between 0.43 and 0.77, Goodness of fit > 0.95 and RMSEA < 0.05.ConclusionsThe new KINDL-AB suggests sufficient to good psychometric properties in adult patients with hereditary and acquired bleeding disorders.

Background/Aims: The newly adapted generic KINDL-A(dult)B(rief) questionnaire showed satisfactory cross-sectional psychometric properties in adults with bleeding disorders or thrombophilia. This investigation aimed to evaluate its cross-sectional and longitudinal construct validity. Methods: After ethical committee approval and written informed consent, 335 patients (mean age 51.8 ± 16.6 years, 60% women) with either predominant thrombophilia (n = 260) or predominant bleeding disorders (n = 75) participated. At baseline, patients answered the KINDL-AB, the MOS 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), and the EQ-5D-3L. A subgroup of 117 patients repeated the questionnaire after a median follow-up of 2.6 years (range: 0.4–3.5). A priori hypotheses were evaluated regarding convergent correlations between KINDL-AB overall well-being and specific subscales, EQ-5D-3L index values (EQ-IV), EQ-5D visual analog scale (EQ-VAS), and SF-36 subscales. Results: Contrary to hypothesis, baseline correlations between the KINDL-AB and EQ-IV/EQ-VAS were all moderate while, as hypothesized, several KINDL-AB subscales and SF-36 subscales correlated strongly. At follow-up, no significant changes in all three instruments occurred. Correlations between instruments over the follow-up were mostly moderate and partially strong. Contrary to hypothesis but consistent with no significant changes in health-related quality of life, convergent correlations between changes in KINDL-AB overall well-being, physical and psychological well-being, and EQ-IV/EQ-VAS were all weak. Conclusions: While repeated measures of KINDL-AB showed moderate to strong correlations, changes in KINDL-AB overall well-being and subscales correlated more weakly than expected with changes involving two established instruments of generic health status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The objective of the present study was to evaluate safety and efficacy of Rivaroxaban (RIVA) being administered as a routine medication for patients with venous thromboembolism (VTE) in a multicenter outpatient cohort. Methods 212 consecutively admitted outpatients (14–<55 years) with VTE treated with standard RIVA were recruited between January 2013 and December 2015. Monitoring of RIVA trough levels along with anti-factor-Xa-activities, factor (F) VIII, Ristocetin-cofactor and von Willebrand factor antigen were performed. Safety endpoints were defined as significant bleeding requiring any medical intervention such as: dose reduction, withdrawal of RIVA or death related to therapy. Efficacy endpoints were defined as any re-VTE or thrombus progression during treatment. Findings Patients were followed over a median period of 16 months. The bleeding incidence rate per 100 patient-years was 17.8% in fertile/premenopausal women and 4.0% in men with an annualized re-VTE rate of 0.48% (women only). The median daily RIVA dose of 0.25 mg/kg in females was significantly higher compared to males with 0.21 mg/kg ( p < 0.0001), clearly correlated to FXa-activities. In bleeders compared to non-bleeders median RIVA dose per kg/body weight was significantly higher (0.26 mg vs. 0.22 mg; p = 0.008). Multivariate analysis adjusted for gender, body mass index, RIVA dose and FVIII revealed an increased hazard of 3.4% in women to develop RIVA-induced bleeding. Additionally, a gradual decrease of FVIII per IU/ml was significantly associated with clinical relevant bleeding. Interpretation Our data demonstrated a high incidence of mucosal type bleeding in women on standard RIVA. This has clinical implications suggesting a need for RIVA monitoring in selected individuals that are at an increased bleeding risk. Funding The study was supported by grants from the pediatric/adolescent stroke foundation “Schlaganfall und Thrombosen im Kindesalter e.V.” and Interdisziplinäres Zentrum für Klinische Forschung (IZKF: CRA01-09), University of Münster. The explorative study part, e.g. the HrQoL assessment, was sponsored by an unrestricted grant donated by Biotest Ag (Langen, Germany). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]