Development of the ATAQ-IPF: a tool to assess quality of life in IPF.
BACKGROUND
There is no disease-specific instrument to assess health-related quality of life (HRQL) in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).


METHODS
Patients' perspectives were collected to develop domains and items for an IPF-specific HRQL instrument. We used item variance and Rasch analysis to construct the ATAQ-IPF (A Tool to Assess Quality of life in IPF).


RESULTS
The ATAQ-IPF version 1 is composed of 74 items comprising 13 domains. All items fit the Rasch model. Domains and the total instrument possess acceptable psychometric characteristics for a multidimensional questionnaire. The pattern of correlations between ATAQ-IPF scores and physiologic variables known to be important in IPF, along with significant differences in ATAQ-IPF scores between subjects using versus those not using supplemental oxygen, support its validity.


CONCLUSIONS
Patient-centered and careful statistical methodologies were used to construct the ATAQ-IPF version 1, an IPF-specific HRQL instrument. Simple summation scoring is used to derive individual domain scores as well as a total score. Results support the validity of the ATAQ-IPF, and future studies will build on that validity.
Swigris
Jeffrey J
JJ
Autoimmune Lung Center and Interstitial Lung Disease Program, National Jewish Health, 1400 Jackson Street, Denver, Colorado 80206, USA. swigrisj@njc.org
Wilson
Sandra R
SR
Green
Kathy E
KE
Sprunger
David B
DB
Brown
Kevin K
KK
Wamboldt
Frederick S
FS
D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D054990:Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D008168:Lung; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires