Linking EORTC QLQ-C-30 and PedsQL/PEDQOL physical functioning scores in patients with osteosarcoma.

Purpose: The available questionnaires for quality-of-life (QoL) assessments are age-group specific, limiting comparability and impeding longitudinal analyses. The comparability of measurements, however, is a necessary condition for gaining scientific evidence. To overcome this problem, we assessed the viability of harmonising data from paediatric and adult patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures.
Method: To this end, we linked physical functioning scores from the Paediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) and the Paediatric Quality of Life Questionnaire (PEDQOL) to the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Core Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) for adults. Samples from the EURAMOS-1 QoL sub-study of 75 (PedsQL) and 112 (PEDQOL) adolescent osteosarcoma patients were concurrently administered both paediatric and adult questionnaires on 98 (PedsQL) and 156 (PEDQOL) occasions. We identified corresponding scores using the single-group equipercentile linking method.
Results: Linked physical functioning scores showed sufficient concordance to the EORTC QLQ-C30: Lin's ρ = 0.74 (PedsQL) and Lin's ρ = 0.64 (PEDQOL).
Conclusion: Score linking provides clinicians and researchers with a common metric for assessing QoL with PRO measures across the entire lifespan of patients.
Competing Interests: Conflict of interest statement The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: SB reports grants from Deutsche Krebshilfe, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, and European Science Foundation during the conduct of the study and personal fees from Lilly, Bayer, Pfizer, Novartis, Isofol, Clinigen, Sensorion, Ipsen, and Roche outside the submitted work. MRS reports grants and nonfinancial support from Astellas, grants from Clovis, grants and nonfinancial support from Janssen, grants and nonfinancial support from Novartis, grants and nonfinancial support from Pfizer, and grants and nonfinancial support from Sanofi, during the conduct of the study and personal fees from Lilly Oncology and personal fees from Janssen for educational courses and workshops outside the submitted work. NM reports employment by Five Prime Therapeutics, Inc and Sanofi US, outside the submitted work. The remaining authors declare no conflicts of interest.
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