Rheumatology
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Multicenter Study
Generic measures of health-related quality of life in ankylosing spondylitis: reliability, validity and responsiveness.
To assess the acceptability and measurement properties of two generic measures of health-related quality of life (HRQL): the EuroQol and the Short Form 12-item Health Survey Questionnaire (SF-12) in ankylosing spondylitis (AS). ⋯ The instruments have undergone a comprehensive comparative evaluation to assess the measurement properties required for patient-assessed measures of health outcome in AS. Adequate levels of acceptability, reliability and validity were found for both instruments. Although evidence supporting instrument responsiveness was strong for the EQ-VAS and SF-12 PCS, it was very weak for the EQ-5D and SF-12 Mental Component Summary Scale (MCS). The EQ-VAS and SF-12 PCS can both be recommended for use in group evaluation, and the SF-12 PCS is recommended in routine practice or research. However, the lower reliability of the SF-12 MCS and the limited ability of both the EQ-5D and SF-12 MCS to detect change in health may restrict these roles.