Further validation of the peripheral artery questionnaire: results from a peripheral vascular surgery survey in the Netherlands.
OBJECTIVE
Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is associated with adverse cardiovascular events and can significantly impair patients' health status. Recently, marked methodological improvements in the measurement of PAD patients' health status have been made. The Peripheral Artery Questionnaire (PAQ) was specifically developed for this purpose. We validated a Dutch version of the PAQ in a large sample of PAD patients.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study.


METHODS
The Dutch PAQ was completed by 465 PAD patients (70% men, mean age 65+/-10 years) participating in the Euro Heart Survey Programme. Principal components analysis and reliability analyses were performed. Convergent validity was documented by comparing the PAQ with EQ-5D scales.


RESULTS
Three factors were discerned; Physical Function, Perceived Disability, and Treatment Satisfaction (factor loadings between 0.50 and 0.90). Cronbach's alpha values were excellent (mean alpha=0.94). Shared variance of the PAQ domains with EQ-5D scales ranged from 3 to 50%.


CONCLUSIONS
The Dutch PAQ proved to have good measurement qualities; assessment of Physical Function, Perceived Disability, and Treatment Satisfaction facilitates the monitoring of patients' perceived health in clinical research and practice. Measuring disease-specific health status in a reliable way becomes essential in times were a wide array of treatment options are available for PAD patients.
Smolderen
K G
KG
CoRPS - Center of Research on Psychology in Somatic Diseases, Department of Medical Psychology, Tilburg University, Tilburg, The Netherlands.
Hoeks
S E
SE
Aquarius
A E
AE
Scholte op Reimer
W J
WJ
Spertus
J A
JA
van Urk
H
H
Denollet
J
J
Poldermans
D
D
D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010465:Perception; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery*; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D011788:Quality of Life; D020127:Recovery of Function; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures