Validation of the Hong Kong Chinese version of the St. George Respiratory Questionnaire in patients with bronchiectasis.
OBJECTIVE
To validate the Hong Kong Chinese version of the St. George Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ-HK) in patients with bronchiectasis.


METHODS
Outpatients (93 patients; 61 women; mean age [+/- SD], 59.0 +/- 14.2 years) were assessed at baseline by the SGRQ-HK, the Hong Kong Chinese version of the 36-item short form health survey (SF-36-HK), and the hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS). Forty randomly selected patients also were reassessed at 2 weeks for repeatability. Seventy-two patients were further reassessed at 6 months for responsiveness.


RESULTS
Cronbach alpha coefficients, which reflected internal consistency, were > 0.7 for all SGRQ-HK components except for symptoms (alpha = 0.59), and the intraclass correlation coefficients between baseline and the 2-week follow-up visits were between 0.80 and 0.94 (p > 0.05). SGRQ-HK component scores and total scores correlated with all the component scores of the SF-36-HK and the HADS (p < 0.02). SGRQ-HK component scores and total scores correlated with the scores of the SF-36-HK and the HADS, confirming the concurrent validity. All SGRQ-HK scores correlated negatively with FEV(1), FVC, and arterial oxygen saturation (p < 0.005), while the activity score correlated with the Karnofsky performance scale and the number of bronchiectatic lobes (p < 0.001). SGRQ-HK scores positively correlated with Borg scale scores, exacerbation frequency, and 24-h sputum volumes (p < 0.03). Patients with 24-h sputum volumes of > or = 10 mL or < 10 mL had significantly different SQRG-HK component scores and total scores (p < 0.002), although this sensitivity was not displayed by scores on the HADS or the SF-36-HK. Patients with 25% reductions in 24-h sputum volumes had significant improvements in SGRQ-HK activity scores, impact scores, and total scores (p < 0.02), but not in other quality-of-life measures or clinical parameters, indicating the responsiveness of the SGRQ-HK.


CONCLUSIONS
The SGRQ-HK is a valid and sensitive instrument for determining quality of life in bronchiectasis patients.
Chan
Shelley L
SL
Department of Medicine, Queen Mary Hospital, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region.
Chan-Yeung
Moira M
MM
Ooi
Gaik C
GC
Lam
Cindy L
CL
Cheung
Tung F
TF
Lam
Wah K
WK
Tsang
Kenneth W
KW
D001987:Bronchiectasis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002681:China / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012143:Respiratory Physiological Phenomena; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*