Validity, reliability, and responsiveness of the EQ-5D in inflammatory bowel disease in Germany.
BACKGROUND
The EuroQol (EQ)-5D questionnaire is a generic instrument measuring health-related quality of life. Its validity, reliability, and responsiveness were assessed in a large sample of Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) patients.


METHODS
The EQ-5D was completed initially (270 CD and 232 UC subjects) and after 4 weeks (447 subjects) with a transition question rating health change. Responsiveness of EQ visual analog scale (EQ-VAS) and the United Kingdom (UK-index) and German EQ-5D index (EQ-index) scores to reported changes in health was evaluated by standardized response means (SRM) and meaningful differences (MDs).


RESULTS
EQ-VAS and EQ-index scores correlated well with disease activity indices and differed significantly between active disease and remission groups. All scores were reliable in test-retest (ICC: EQ-VAS: 0.89; UK-index: 0.76; German EQ-index: 0.72). According to SRM, EQ-VAS was more responsive for deterioration in health than for improvement in health and was more responsive than index scores. Index scores were most responsive for deterioration in health in subjects in remission and for improved health in subjects with active disease. MDs for improved health (EQ-VAS: 10.9; UK EQ-index: 0.076; German EQ-index: 0.050) and deteriorated health (EQ-VAS: -14.4; UK EQ-index: -0.109; German EQ-index: -0.067) were significant, but MD of EQ-VAS also differed significantly according to disease activity.


CONCLUSIONS
The EQ-5D generates valid, reliable, and responsive preference-based evaluations of health in CD and UC. EQ-VAS scores were more responsive than EQ-5D index scores. Thus, small health differences that are important from the patient's perspective may not be reflected in the EQ-index.
Stark
Renee G
RG
Institute for Health Economics and Health Care Management at Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg (by Munich), Germany. r.stark@helmholtz-muenchen.de
Reitmeir
Peter
P
Leidl
Reiner
R
König
Hans-Helmut
HH
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D011788:Quality of Life; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom; D055815:Young Adult