Insulin therapy in type 2 diabetes: Insights into clinical efficacy, patient-reported outcomes, and adherence challenges

Insulin therapy plays a crucial role in the management of type 2 diabetes as the disease progresses.Over the past century,insulin formulations have undergone significant modifications and bioengineering,resulting in a diverse range of available insulin products.These products show distinct pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles.Consequently,various insulin regimens have em-erged for the management of type 2 diabetes,including premixed formulations and combinations of basal and bolus insulins.The utilization of different insulin regimens yields disparate clinical outcomes,adverse events,and,notably,patient-reported outcomes(PROs).PROs provide valuable insights from the patient’s perspective,serving as a valuable mine of information for enhancing healthcare and informing clinical decisions.Adherence to insulin therapy,a critical patient-reported outcome,significantly affects clinical outcomes and is influenced by multiple factors.This review provides insights into the clinical effectiveness of various insulin preparations,PROs,and factors impacting insulin therapy adherence,with the aim of enhancing healthcare practices and informing clinical decisions for individuals with type 2 diabetes.

Transperineal prostate biopsies for diagnosis of prostate cancer are well tolerated： a prospective study using patient-reported outcome measures

We aimed to determine short-term patient-reported outcomes in men having general anesthetic transperineal （TP） prostate biopsies. A prospective cohort study was performed in men having a diagnostic TP biopsy. This was done using a validated and adapted questionnaire immediately post-biopsy and at follow-up of between 7 and 14 days across three tertiary referral hospitals with a response rate of 51.6%. Immediately after biopsy 43/201 （21.4%） of men felt light-headed, syncopal, or suffered syncope. Fifty-three percent of men felt discomfort after biopsy （with 95% scoring 〈5 in a 0-10 scale）. Twelve out of 196 men （6.1%） felt pain immediately after the procedure. Despite a high incidence of symptoms （e.g., up to 75% had some hematuria, 47% suffered some pain）, it was not a moderate or serious problem for most, apart from hemoejaculate which 31 men suffered. Eleven men needed catheterization （5.5%）. There were no inpatient admissions due to complications （hematuria, sepsis）. On repeat questioning at a later time point, only 25/199 （12.6%） of men said repeat biopsy would be a significant problem despite a significant and marked reduction in erectile function after the procedure. From this study, we conclude that TP biopsy is well tolerated with similar side effect profiles and attitudes of men to repeat biopsy to men having TRUS biopsies. These data allow informed counseling of men prior to TP biopsy and a benchmark for tolerability with local anesthetic TP biopsies being developed for clinical use.

A Systematic Review of Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement for Psoriasis in Chinese Population

Objective To review the development of patient-reported outcome measurement(PROM)for patients with psoriasis in China,and to analyze the main results and methodology.Methods The systematic review method of COSMIN(consensus-based standards for the selection of health measurement instruments)was adopted,and the domestic and foreign databases were searched to find the patient-reported outcome scales based on Chinese psoriasis patients.Then,the included studies were evaluated by using COSMIN risk of bias checklist.Results and Conclusion A total of 3 studies were included,involving 3 scales.We found that the quality evaluation of the development process of the 3 scales was not high,and there were large methodological loopholes in the whole cycle of scale development and verification.The included studies have many problems such as low extrapolation,poor quality,and lack of validation,which can provide more insights for the quality control requirements of the whole cycle of scale development in the future.

Validity of the French version of Catquest-9SF and use of an electronic notepad for entering patient-reported outcome measures

Background:The Catquest-9SF questionnaire is a patient reported outcome measure that quantifies the visual benefits from cataract surgery.The purpose of this study was to translate and adapt the Catquest-9SF questionnaire for France,to assess its psychometric properties via Rasch analysis,and to assess its validity when completed using an electronic notepad.Methods:The Catquest-9SF questionnaire was translated following the guidelines of the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research.Catquest-9SF and clinical data were collected from patients before and after routine cataract surgery.All questionnaire data were collected via an electronic notepad.Rasch analysis was performed to assess psychometric properties,and sensitivity to change was analysed for patients with complete paired pre-and post-operative questionnaires.Results:A complete filled-in preoperative questionnaire was obtained for 848 patients.Rasch analysis showed good precision(person separation:2.32,person reliability:0.84),ordered category probability curves,no item misfit,and unidimensionality.The respondents were slightly more able than the level of item difficulty(targeting:−1.12 logits).Sensitivity was analysed on 211 paired questionnaires,and the postoperative questionnaires showed a clear ceiling effect.The effect size was 2.6.The use of an electronic notepad for completing the questionnaire worked out very well after some adjustments.Conclusions:The French version of Catquest-9SF has good psychometric properties and is suitable for use in French-speaking patients.The use of the Catquest-9SF questionnaire in an electronic format showed good validity.

Mid-term outcomes of a kinematically designed cruciate retaining total knee arthroplasty

BACKGROUND Advances in implant material and design have allowed for improvements in total knee arthroplasty(TKA)outcomes.A cruciate retaining(CR)TKA provides the least constraint of TKA designs by preserving the native posterior cruciate ligament.Limited research exists that has examined clinical outcomes or patient reported outcome measures(PROMs)of a large cohort of patients undergoing a CR TKA utilizing a kinematically designed implant.It was hypothesized that the studied CR Knee System would demonstrate favorable outcomes and a clinically significant improvement in pain and functional scores.AIM To assess both short-term and mid-term clinical outcomes and PROMs of a novel CR TKA design.METHODS A retrospective,multi-surgeon study identified 255 knees undergoing a TKA utilizing a kinematically designed CR Knee System(JOURNEY™II CR;Smith and Nephew,Inc.,Memphis,TN)at an urban,academic medical institution between March 2015 and July 2021 with a minimum of two-years of clinical follow-up with an orthopedic surgeon.Patient demographics,surgical information,clinical outcomes,and PROMs data were collected via query of electronic medical records.The PROMs collected in the present study included the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score for Joint Replacement(KOOS JR)and Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System(PROMIS■)scores.The significance of improvements in mean PROM scores from preoperative scores to scores collected at six months and two-years postoperatively was analyzed using Independent Samples t-tests.RESULTS Of the 255 patients,65.5%were female,43.8%were White,and patients had an average age of 60.6 years.Primary osteoarthritis(96.9%)was the most common primary diagnosis.The mean surgical time was 105.3 minutes and mean length of stay was 2.1 d with most patients discharged home(92.5%).There were 18 emergency department(ED)visits within 90 d of surgery resulting in a 90 d ED visit rate of 7.1%,including a 2.4%orthopedic-related ED visit rate and a 4.7%non-orthopedic-related ED visit rate.There were three(1.2%)hospital readmissions within 90 d postoperatively.With a mean time to latest follow-up of 3.3 years,four patients(1.6%)required revision,two for arthrofibrosis,one for aseptic femoral loosening,and one for peri-prosthetic joint infection.There were significant improvements in KOOS JR,PROMIS Pain Intensity,PROMIS Pain Interference,PROMIS Mobility,and PROMIS Physical Health from preoperative scores to six month and two-year postoperative scores.CONCLUSION The evaluated implant is an effective,novel design offering excellent outcomes and low complication rates.At a mean follow up of 3.3 years,four patients required revisions,three aseptic and one septic,resulting in an overall implant survival rate of 98.4%and an aseptic survival rate of 98.8%.The results of our study demonstrate the utility of this kinematically designed implant in the setting of primary TKA.

Establishing minimum clinically important difference values for the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Physical Function, hip disability and osteoarthritis outcome score for joint reconstruction, and knee injury and osteoarthritis out

AIM To establish minimum clinically important difference(MCID) for measurements in an orthopaedic patient population with joint disorders.METHODS Adult patients aged 18 years and older seeking care for joint conditions at an orthopaedic clinic took the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Physical Function(PROMIS~? PF) computerized adaptive test(CAT), hip disability and osteoarthritis outcome score for joint reconstruction(HOOS JR), and the knee injury and osteoarthritis outcome score for joint reconstruction(KOOS JR) from February 2014 to April 2017. MCIDs were calculated using anchorbased and distribution-based methods. Patient reports of meaningful change in function since their first clinic encounter were used as an anchor.RESULTS There were 2226 patients who participated with a mean age of 61.16(SD = 12.84) years, 41.6% male, and 89.7% Caucasian. Mean change ranged from 7.29 to 8.41 for the PROMIS~? PF CAT, from 14.81 to 19.68 for the HOOS JR, and from 14.51 to 18.85 for the KOOS JR. ROC cut-offs ranged from 1.97-8.18 for the PF CAT, 6.33-43.36 for the HOOS JR, and 2.21-8.16 for the KOOS JR. Distribution-based methods estimated MCID values ranging from 2.45 to 21.55 for the PROMIS~? PF CAT; from 3.90 to 43.61 for the HOOS JR, and from 3.98 to 40.67 for the KOOS JR. The median MCID value in the range was similar to the mean change score for each measure and was 7.9 for the PF CAT, 18.0 for the HOOS JR, and 15.1 for the KOOS JR.CONCLUSION This is the first comprehensive study providing a wide range of MCIDs for the PROMIS? PF, HOOS JR, and KOOS JR in orthopaedic patients with joint ailments.

HealthMeasures患者报告结局报告清单的解读

美国匹兹堡大学和HealthMeasures指导委员会及PROMIS健康组织标准委员会共同发表了HealthMeasures患者报告结局报告清单,旨在促进不同患者报告结局测量工具的标准化报告,帮助研究人员提高工具报告质量及结果解释的准确性,进一步改善跨研究间的比较分析。本文对HealthMeasures患者报告结局报告清单的主要内容进行介绍和解读,以期为中国患者报告结局研究者提供参考和借鉴。

Unicompartmental knee arthroplasty vs high tibial osteotomy for knee osteoarthritis:A comparison of clinical and radiological outcomes

BACKGROUND Unicompartmental knee arthroplasty(UKA)and high tibial osteotomy(HTO)are well-established operative interventions in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis.However,which intervention is more beneficial to patients with knee osteoarthritis remains unknown and a topic of much debate.Simultaneously,there is a paucity of research assessing the relationship between radiographic parameters of knee joint alignment and patient-reported clinical outcomes,preoperatively and following HTO or UKA.AIM To compare UKAs and HTOs as interventions for medial-compartment knee osteoarthritis:Examining differences in clinical outcome and investigating the relationship of joint alignment with respect to this.METHODS This longitudinal observational study assessed a total of 42 patients that had undergone UKA(n=23)and HTO(n=19)to treat medial compartment knee osteoarthritis.Patient-reported outcome measures(PROMs)were collected to evaluate clinical outcome.These included two disease-specific(Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score,Oxford Knee Score)and two generic(EQ-5D-5L,Short Form-12)PROMs.The radiographic parameters of knee alignment assessed were the:Hip-knee-ankle angle,mechanical axis deviation and angle of Mikulicz line.RESULTS Statistical analyses demonstrated significant(P<0.001),preoperative to postoperative,improvements in the PROM scores of both groups.There were,however,no significant inter-group differences in the postoperative PROM scores of the UKA and HTO group.Several significant correlations associated a more distolaterally angled Mikulicz line with worse knee function and overall health preoperatively(P<0.05).Postoperatively,two clusters of significant correlations were observed between the disease-specific PROM scores and knee joint alignment parameters(hip-knee-ankle angle,mechanical axis deviation)within the HTO group;yet no such associations were observed within the UKA group.CONCLUSION UKAs and HTOs are both efficacious operations that provide a comparable degree of clinical benefit to patients with medial compartment knee osteoarthritis.Clinical outcome has a limited association with radiographic parameters of knee joint alignment postoperatively;however,a more distolaterally angled Mikulicz line appears associated with worse knee function/health-related quality of life preoperatively.

The pig as a preclinical traumatic brain injury model:current models,functional outcome measures,and translational detection strategies

Traumatic brain injury(TBI) is a major contributor of long-term disability and a leading cause of death worldwide. A series of secondary injury cascades can contribute to cell death, tissue loss, and ultimately to the development of functional impairments. However, there are currently no effective therapeutic interventions that improve brain outcomes following TBI. As a result, a number of experimental TBI models have been developed to recapitulate TBI injury mechanisms and to test the efficacy of potential therapeutics. The pig model has recently come to the forefront as the pig brain is closer in size, structure, and composition to the human brain compared to traditional rodent models, making it an ideal large animal model to study TBI pathophysiology and functional outcomes. This review will focus on the shared characteristics between humans and pigs that make them ideal for modeling TBI and will review the three most common pig TBI models–the diffuse axonal injury, the controlled cortical impact, and the fluid percussion models. It will also review current advances in functional outcome assessment measures and other non-invasive, translational TBI detection and measurement tools like biomarker analysis and magnetic resonance imaging. The use of pigs as TBI models and the continued development and improvement of translational assessment modalities have made significant contributions to unraveling the complex cascade of TBI sequela and provide an important means to study potential clinically relevant therapeutic interventions.

Patient-reported Outcomes (PROs): An Approach to Evaluate Treatment Efficacy of Chinese Medicine or Integrative Medicine

Chinese medicine (CM) has been an experience based practice over the past three thousand years. The safety and efficacy of CM has been practised through experience, rather than nowadays’ modern scientific measurements. In this way, the development of CM has not been keeping pace with the advance in science and technology and the progress in orthodox medicine. In order to meet the requirements of modern science and technology, an evidence based approach must be adopted. Reassurance is needed to convince people for safety and efficacy of CM and give confidence to the evidence based demands ——“Tradition is confirmed by Modern Science” (1) .

Clinical study inpatient-reported outcomes after binocular implantation of aspheric intraocular lens of different negative spherical aberrations

Objective: To compare patient-reported outcomes after implantation of the ZA9003 intraocular lens(IOLs), or the MCX11 ASP IOLs or the spherical IOLs(HQ-201HEP). Methods: Prospective nonrandomized controlled trial was used. A total of 105 patients(210 eyes) were divided into three groups according to the type of IOLs: ZA9003(35 patients, 70 eyes), MCX11 ASP(35 patients, 70 eyes) or HQ-201HEP(35 patients, 70 eyes). The main outcome was scores of Catquest nine-item short-form questionnaire. Additional outcome was best corrected visual acuities, spherical aberration(SA) and total higher-order aberrations(HOAs). Results: The global score was significantly lower in the spherical IOL group than the aspherical IOL group of-020 μm SA(P < 0.05) and the aspherical IOL group of-027 μm SA(P < 0.05), and no significant difference was found in the global score between the aspherical IOL group of-020 μm SA than the aspherical IOL group of-027 μm SA(P > 0.05). Significant differences were also found in question 2, question 5, question 6 and question 8 between the spherical IOLs and the aspherical IOLs. Conclusion: Implantation of an aspherical IOL could improve vision-related quality of life compared with a spherical IOL. However, there were no statistically significant differences in vision-related quality of life between aspheric IOLs with different negative spherical aberrations.

Patient-Reported Outcomes of Surgery of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Evaluation Based on the Questionnaires of Anti-Aging Quality of Life and the European Organization for the Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire

Background: Patient-reported outcomes of the quality of life (QOL) after an open thoracotomy have not been studied. To determine the physical and mental changes in surgical patients is very important for medical staffs. The surgical patient’s satisfaction and overall healthy changes were evaluated by the patient-self assessment questionnaires. Materials and Methods: From July 2007 to April 2008, 26 patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) underwent surgical resection. The outcome of the QOL was evaluated by using two kinds of questionnaire surveys from the European Organization for the Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) and the anti-aging QOL assessment (AA-QOL). The EORTC QLQ-C30 consisted of five domains (physical, role, cognitive, emotional, and social functionings) and global QOL. The AA-QOL contained 51 items;30 physical and 21 mental symptoms regarding the elderly and the aging population. The patients replied to the two questionnaires at two different times, i.e., at pre-surgery (baseline) and at post-surgery (2 weeks after the operation). The obtained data of these scores were averaged and compared between the two points of the pre-surgery and post-surgery. Results: Regarding the outcomes of the EORTC QLQ-C30, the physical and social functioning became significantly worse after the surgery. In contrast, the global QOL significantly became better after the surgery. For the symptom at post-surgery, three of which were “nausea and vomiting”, “pain”, and “appetite loss”, became significantly worse compared to those at pre-surgery. Regarding the outcomes of the AA-QOL, the physical symptoms (muscular pain/stiffness, palpitations, dyspnea, no feeling of good health, anorexia, and coughing and sputum) became significantly worse after the surgery. Regarding the mental symptoms, there were no significant differences. Conclusions: Regarding the outcomes based on the changes in the QOL after surgery, the physical symptoms became worse compared to the mental symptoms. To clarify the perioperative healthy changes of the QOL reported by patients with lung cancers is very important for multidisciplinary teamwork, which should play a role in providing the appropriate care and treatment and useful information for a preoperative patient’s decision making of receiving surgical treatment.

In treating diabetes, what is important? Glucose levels or outcome measures?

Gaps in knowledge prevail in recognizing which glycemic parameters to order and in determining glycemic control. However glycosylated hemoglobin(Hb A1c) is most commonly ordered to determine glycemic control. Hb A1 c provides information of overtime glycemic control but does not inform post meal glycemic excusions. The latter may be significant in outcome measure such as cardiovascular disorder(CVD), renal failure or amputation in diabetes. In order to obviate the dilemma in the importance between fasting blood glucose(FBG) and 2-h post prandial glucose(2h PPG), we innovated delta(d) which is the difference between 2h PPG minus FBG. There is much information available relating 2h PPG or postprandial hyperglycemia to CVD and some information relating 2h PPG to renal failure or amputation. Thus much emphasis is laid upon glycemic control with little or no emphasis on the complications of diabetes or the outcome measures. The focus of this editorial is to draw attention to outcome measures by ordering fasting and 2-h postprandial(2h PP) basic metabolic panel(BMP) which provides glucose levels, renal function test and electrolytes. Hb A1 c significantly relates to 2h PPG, thus by ordering F and 2h PP BMP instead of Hb A1 c alone will serve both purposes: Glycemic control and outcome measure. Delta(d) glucose(dh PPG-FBG) is a stronger predictor than 2h PPG of renal function deterioration.

Exploring Factors in the Systematic Use of Outcome Measures: A Multi-Disciplinary Rehabilitation Team Perspective

Purpose: The implementation of routine outcome measurement was initiated as a quality improvement initiative in a unit delivering intensive functional rehabilitation for people with lower limb amputation. Two years post-implementation, completion rates remained low which raised the need to gain an indepth understanding of the factors that might impact the systematic use of Outcome Measures (OMs). Method: A qualitative exploratory study embedded in the ongoing quality improvement initiative was designed. Data were gathered through a focus group with members of a multidisciplinary rehabilitation team. A deductive content analysis was performed using Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) as a guide to explore factors that impact routine outcome measurement. Results: Respondents perceived OMs as valid and offering clear advantages in clinical practice. At the organizational level, lack of fit with clinical practice, loss of project leaders and lack of clear management directives had negative repercussions on the use of OMs. Conclusion: Our results suggest that a dedicated project leader throughout the implementation process and effective communication may contribute to bypassing barriers associated to practice changes leading to a more systematic use of OMs among clinicians.

Saving time and effort:Best practice for adapting existing patientreported outcome measures in hepatology

It is increasingly recognised that collecting patient reported outcome measures(PROMs)data is an important part of healthcare and should be considered alongside traditional clinical assessments.As part of a more holistic view of healthcare provision,there has been an increased drive to implement PROM collection as part of routine clinical care in hepatology.This drive has resulted in an increase in the number of PROMs currently developed to be used in various liver conditions.However,the development and validation of a new PROM is time-consuming and costly.Therefore,before deciding to develop a new PROM,researchers should consider identifying existing PROMs to assess their appropriateness and,if necessary,make adaptations to existing PROMs to ensure their rigour when used with the target population.Little is written in the literature on how to identify and adapt the existing PROMs in hepatology.This article aims to provide a summary of the current literature and guidance regarding identifying and adapting existing PROMs in clinical practice.

Patient reported outcome measures in anterior cruciate ligament rupture and reconstruction:The significance of outcome score prediction

BACKGROUND Numerous anterior cruciate ligament(ACL) clinical outcome measures exist.However,the result of one score does not equate to the findings of another even when evaluating the same patient group.AIM To investigate if statistically derived formulae can be used to predict the outcome of one knee scoring system when the result of another is known in patients with ACL rupture before and after reconstruction.METHODS Fifty patients with ACL rupture were evaluated using nine clinical outcome measures.These included Tegner Activity Score,Lysholm Knee Score,Cincinnati Knee Score,International Knee Documentation Committee(IKDC) Objective Knee Score,Tapper and Hoover Meniscal Grading Score,IKDC Subjective Knee Score,Knee Outcome Survey-Activities of Daily Living Scale(KOS-ADLS),Short Form-12 Item Health Survey and Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score.Thirtyfour patients underwent an ACL reconstruction and were reassessed post-operatively.RESULTS The mean total of each of the nine outcome scores appreciably differed from each other.Significant correlations and regressions were found between most of the outcome scores and were stronger post-operatively.The strongest correlation was found between Cincinnati and KOS-ADLS (r=0.91,P<0.001).The strongest regression formula was also found between Cincinnati and KOS-ADLS (R~2=0.84,P<0.001).CONCLUSION The formulae produced from this study can be used to predict the outcome of one knee score when the results of the other are known.These formulae could facilitate the conduct of systematic reviews and meta-analysis in studies relating to ACL injuries by allowing the pooling of substantially more data.

Patient-Reported Outcomes of Chemotherapy Involving Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Evaluation by Questionnaires of Quality of Life Regarding Anti-Aging and Anti-Cancer Drugs

Background: Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) of quality of life (QOL) during chemotherapy involving lung cancer are very important for the medical staffs. Patients’ satisfaction and healthy changes were evaluated by the patient-self assessment. Materials and Methods: From July 2007 to April 2008, a total of 19 patients received chemotherapy. The QOL data were collected by using the QOL questionnaire for cancer patients treated with anticancer drugs (QOL-ACD) and the anti-aging QOL assessment (AA-QOL). The AA-QOL contained 51 items: 30 of physical and 21 of mental symptoms of the elderly and the aging population. The patients replied to the questions at two different times, i.e., at pre-chemotherapy (baseline) and at post-chemotherapy (2 weeks after the chemotherapy). Results: Regarding the hematological toxicities, for the grade 3/4 toxicities, there were 12 neutropenia (12/19, 63.2%) and 3 thrombocytopenia (3/19, 15.8%). For the grade 3 febrile neutropenia, there were 5 cases (5/19, 26.3%). Regarding the non-hematological toxicities, there was no grade 3 and grade 4 toxicities. Based on the outcomes of the QOL-ACD, the three items (“physical condition”, “social attitude”, and “overall QOL”) at post-chemotherapy became significantly worse compared to the baseline. Regarding the outcomes of the AA-QOL, 4 items of physical symptoms (“thirst”, “anorexia”, “early satiety”, and “diarrhea”) became significantly worse compared to the baseline. Regarding the mental symptoms, 2 items (“nothing to look forward in life” and “a sense of uselessness”) became significantly worse compared to the baseline. Conclusion: Regarding the PROs of the QOL during the chemotherapy term, both the physical and mental symptoms had become worse. To clarify the changes in the QOL during chemotherapy is very important for multidisciplinary teamwork, which should play the role of providing the appropriate cares and treatment as patient-support.

Patient-Reported Outcomes in Prostate Cancer: Prospective Changes Analysis for Prognosis Prediction

Prostate cancer is affecting a higher proportion of male population. Health Related Quality of Life assessment can guide the development of an interdisciplinary and patient-centered care intervention. This study is aimed to assess Health Related Quality of Life in prostate cancer patients. Relationships between socio-demographic, clinical characteristics and patient-reported outcomes have been considered. Consecutive outpatients with prostate cancer, admitted at the Urology Clinic of the Instituto Português de Oncologia do Porto, were studied (n = 300). Health Related Quality of Life was assessed as part of the routine practice. The European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer general questionnaire, QLQ-C30, and its specific module for prostate cancer patients, QLQ-PR25, were used. Evolution along time (elapsed since diagnosis, and up to 5 years) was considered in order to search for a prognosis prediction in prostate cancer patients. This study confirms the feasibility of a systematic Health Related Quality of Life assessment. Global Health Related Quality of Life was found to be higher 6 months after diagnosis, decreasing then until the second year after diagnosis and improving thereafter. A peak with better scores was identified at the fifth year after diagnosis. Social and physical dimensions revealed a similar pattern. Clinical significance was found 6 months and 5 years after diagnosis. The prospective analysis of Health Related Quality of Life changes is able to explore the patients’ outcomes in order to find patterns and relationships for prognosis prediction along the disease course. Such approach might promote patient confidence and thus a better cancer experience.

Factors Influencing the Use of Outcome Measures for Patients with Low Back Pain: A Survey of Nigerian Physiotherapists

Background: Low back pain is one of the important patients’ presenting complain that requires expert management from the physiotherapists. Yet no work was available for reference on the use of outcome measures for its evaluation by Nigeria physiotherapists. Objective: This study, therefore, investigated the outcome measures used by Nigerian physiotherapists to evaluate patients with Low Back Pain and the factors that influenced their use. Methods: A survey questionnaire was posted to 306 randomly selected mem- bers of the Nigeria Society of Physiotherapy (NSP). Data were analyzed using frequency, percentages, mean, ANOVA, and Pearson’s Chi-square. P-value was placed at 0.05. Results: 52.9% of the respondents (221) used a pain visual analog scale. Only 36.1% used LBP-specific clinical outcome measures. The factors that influenced their use were belief, attitude, knowledge, and choice. There was no significant difference between the majority of the factors and the use of clinical outcome measures. The P-values were 0.960, 0.648, 0.760 for belief, attitude and knowledge respectively. The only factor that had a significant difference (P = 0.029) with the use of clinical outcome measures was choice. Gender and postgraduate qualification had no significant influ- ence on the use of clinical outcome measures at the P-value of 0.117 and 0.510 respectively. Conclusion: Pain visual analog scale is the outcome measure frequently used by Nigeria Physiotherapists to evaluate patients with Low Back Pain. Belief, attitude, knowledge, and choice are the factors that influ- enced the use. There is a need to incorporate the use of LBP-specific outcome measures by Nigerian physiotherapists while treating patients with LBP.

Evaluation of patient reported outcome measures post urethroplasty:Piloting a“Trifecta”approach

BACKGROUND Buccal mucosal graft urethroplasty is the gold standard treatment for urethral stricture disease.Toowoomba has obtained a fellowship trained urethroplasty surgeon who has been performing urethroplasties for the last two years.Patient reported outcome measure(PROM)questionnaires allow for a detailed and standardized analysis of success and morbidity post urethroplasty and can be used as a reference point against which urethral surgeons can benchmark their performance.AIM To assess whether patient compliance rates improved with the use of an abridged PROM questionnaire.METHODS Our database of urethroplasty patients was searched to identify patients who had completed the original PROM.This is routinely requested to be completed at the 3-,6-and 12-mo mark.All patients are asked to complete the questionnaire and to bring it back to their next appointment.Our original PROM consists of the international prostate symptom score,the sexual health index measure and the Global Response Assessment.An abridged version of the questionnaire was derived focusing on urinary flow,sexual function and overall quality of life and consisted of three questions.RESULTS Sixty-six patients were included in our study.Fifty-four patients had been invited to complete the original PROM with an overall compliance rate of 30%.Compliance rates improved to 91%with the introduction of the modified PROM.No correlation between non-compliance and patient factors were found.There was also no significant difference in patient reported quality of life when comparing urinary flow and sexual function.CONCLUSION We recommend the use of PROMs pre-and post-operatively to accurately determine the level of patient satisfaction.We acknowledge the aversion of patients in completing PROMs due to the length of these questionnaires.We propose a simplistic version aimed at the“Trifecta”of urethroplasty comprising of three questions focusing each on urinary flow,sexual function and quality of life.Our modified PROM demonstrated markedly improved compliance rates and can be used as a screening tool to identify patients who might have had a poor outcome and who require a more in-depth assessment.