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Evaluation of a scale of patient-reported outcomes for the assessment of myasthenia gravis patients in China

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Abstract

Objective

To evaluate a scale of patient-reported outcomes for the assessment of myasthenia gravis patients (MG-PRO) in China.

Methods

A total of 100 MG patients were interviewed for the field testing. Another 56 MG patients were selected and assessed with the MG-PRO scale before treatment and at 1, 2 and 4 weeks after treatment. The classical test theory and item response theory (IRT) were used to assess the psychometric characteristics of the MG-PRO scale.

Results

The MG-PRO scale included 4 dimensions: physical, psychological, social environment, and treatment. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that each dimension was consistent with the theoretical construct. The scores of the physical and psychological dimensions increased significantly at 1 week after treatment (P<0.05). All the dimension scores and the MG-PRO score increased significantly at 2 and 4 weeks after treatment (P<0.05). IRT showed that person separation indices were greater than 0.8, most of the item fit residual statistics were within ±2.5, and no item had uniform or non-uniform differential item functioning (DIF) between gender and age (<40, ⩾40).

Conclusions

The MG-PRO scale is valid for measuring the quality of life (QOL) of MG patients, with good reliability, validity, responsiveness, and good psychometric characteristics from IRT. It can be applied to evaluate the QOL of MG patients and to assess treatment effects in clinical trials.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510405, China

    Feng-bin Liu  (刘凤斌)

  2. College of Basic Medical Science, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, China

    Xin-lin Chen  (陈新林)

  3. The Second Hospital, Liwan District of Guangzhou, Guangzhou, 510160, China

    Li Guo  (郭 丽)

  4. The DENG Tietao Institute, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510407, China

    Xiao-bin Liu  (刘小斌)

Authors
  1. Feng-bin Liu  (刘凤斌)
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  2. Xin-lin Chen  (陈新林)
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  3. Li Guo  (郭 丽)
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  4. Xiao-bin Liu  (刘小斌)
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Xiao-bin Liu  (刘小斌).

Additional information

Supported by the Major State Basic Research Development Program of China (973 Program, No. 2005CB523500), and the Key Project of the National 11th Five Year Research Program of China (No. 2006BAI04A12)

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Liu, Fb., Chen, Xl., Guo, L. et al. Evaluation of a scale of patient-reported outcomes for the assessment of myasthenia gravis patients in China. Chin. J. Integr. Med. 18, 737–745 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-011-0944-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-011-0944-3

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