title: The EQ-5D and the Health Utilities Index for permanent sequelae after meningitis: a head-to-head comparison.
abstract: Framed in a study on the cost-effectiveness of different diagnostic strategies regarding children with meningeal signs, this study evaluated the quality weights for permanent sequelae after childhood bacterial meningitis obtained with two different classification instruments: the EQ-5D, and Health Utilities Index (HUI). A panel of 28 pediatricians classified seven standardized descriptions of patients with permanent sequelae after bacterial meningitis according to the EQ-5D and HUI classification system. Quality weights for each classification were calculated using the EQ-5D and HUI standard scoring algorithms. HUI Mark 3 quality weights were substantially lower than the EQ-5D for all descriptions (mean difference 0.11; 95% CI: 0.08-0.14). Mean Kendall W for agreement of the ranking order between EQ-5D and HUI Mark 3 was 0.90. The EQ-5D and HUI resulted in different absolute quality weights, in particular for states associated with "deafness" and "mental retardation." Due to their performance differences, the HUI may be preferable to EQ-5D in studies focussed on "sensation" (hearing, vision, speech) or "cognition." These differences proved not to be relevant in the present cost-utility study of diagnostic strategies to rule out bacterial meningitis, as such consequences were at the distal end of the decision tree. This may be different in a cost-utility analysis of therapeutic strategies. Hence, sensitivity analysis to quality weights is recommended.
authors.affiliation: Sophia Children's Hospital Rotterdam, Room Sp 1545, Dr Molewaterplein 60, The Netherlands. oostenbrink@alkg.azr.nl
authors.forename: Rianne
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Oostenbrink
authors.forename: Henriëtte A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: A Moll
authors.forename: Marie-Louise
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Essink-Bot
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D019988:Children with Disabilities; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016920:Meningitis, Bacterial / Q000150:complications*; D008875:Middle Aged; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life; D019057:Quality-Adjusted Life Years; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index