[Disease-specific Questionnaire for Quality of Life in Patients with Peripheral Arterial Occlusive Disease in the Stage of Critical Ischemia (FLeQKI): psychometric evaluation of its responsiveness and practicability (Part 2)].
OBJECTIVE
To test the "Questionnaire for Life Quality in Patients with Peripheral Arterial Occlusive Disease at the Stage of Critical Ischemia" (FLeQKI) in a prospective study with respect to responsiveness and practicability.


METHODS
The responsiveness of the FLeQKI for therapy-induced changes of health related quality of life was prospectively determined in 65 consecutive patients with peripheral occlusive arterial disease at the stage of critical ischemia prior to percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) or bypass operation, and 1 month and 6 months after. 40 healthy individuals who were matched for age and questioned with the FLeQKI twice within 6 months served as the control. Additionally, all patients and healthy volunteers were questioned with the "Medical Outcomes Study Group Short Form" (SF-36). In all patients, the ankle/brachial index (ABI) was measured along with each of the three interviews. To validate practicability, we measured the time needed to fill out the questionnaires and asked the patients to indicate on a visual analog scale (VAS) graduated from 0 - 10 how strenuous they found the questionnaires to be. For statistical analysis, two-sided paired t-tests were used.


RESULTS
The treatment group consisted of 35 men and 30 women with an age of 75.1+/-7.0 years, and the control group was comprised of 21 men and 19 women with an age of 73.4+/-7.8 years. In the control group, none of the FLeQKI scales showed significant changes over time (p>0.05). In the pAVK group, all scales improved between the interviews before and 6 months after therapy. Changes were either significant (comorbidity, p<0.05) or highly significant (all other scales, p<0.005 or p<0.0001). ABI increased above 0.5 (p<0.05). With an average of 12 minutes, the FLeQKI required less time than the SF-36 with an average of 15.57 minutes (p<0.05). Both questionnaires were evaluated with a VAS value of less than 1 (p>0.05) as non-strenuous.


CONCLUSIONS
Regarding responsiveness and practicability, the FLeQKI is well suited for determining the specific impairments of life quality in patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease in the stage of critical ischemia. Compared with the SF-36, the FLeQKI reached similar or better psychometric values.
Wohlgemuth
W A
WA
Klinik für Diagnostische Radiologie und Neuroradiologie, Klinikum Augsburg, Augsburg. Walter.Wohlgemuth@klinikum-augsburg.de
Olbricht
W
W
Klarmann
S
S
Engelhardt
M
M
Freitag
M H
MH
Wölfle
K
K
Bohndorf
K
K
Kirchhof
K
K
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017130:Angioplasty; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000601:surgery; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007511:Ischemia / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome