title: Development of a new patient-reported outcome measure in sarcopenia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to develop a patient-reported outcome (PRO) to assess reduced muscle strength in sarcopenia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Qualitative research study.
  
  
  METHODS
  University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects with sarcopenia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adults aged 55 years and older with sarcopenia (n = 12) attended open-ended, concept elicitation interviews to characterize the functional effects of reduced muscle strength on their lives. The resulting qualitative data were analyzed using a qualitative analysis software program (Atlas.ti [Atlas.ti GmbH, Berlin, Germany]) and a common set of codes was developed to summarize the data. Subsequently, the initial PRO measure was drafted. Cognitive interviews were then conducted with additional sarcopenia subjects (n = 12) to refine the measure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Qualitative interviews identified key concepts (eg, impacts) in the areas of activities of daily living, emotions, social activities, energy, balance, coordination, sleep, and strength. Based on data from the cognitive debriefing interviews (eg, understandability, relevance, suggestions to reword items), the PRO measure development team came to consensus on which items or parts of the instructions to retain, revise, or delete. The final measure included 14 items.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The final PRO measure, the Age-Related Muscle Loss Questionnaire, can be used in both clinical practice and clinical trial settings to assess functional impacts of reduced muscle strength in sarcopenia.
authors.affiliation: Mapi Values, Boston, MA 02114, USA. chris.evans@mapivalues.com
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.forename: Chiun-Fang
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Chiou
authors.forename: Kristina A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Fitzgerald
authors.forename: William J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.forename: Betty R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Ferrell
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Dale
authors.forename: Linda P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Fried
authors.forename: Shravanthi R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Gandra
authors.forename: Brooke
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dennee-Sommers
authors.forename: Donald L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Patrick
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D001131:Arkansas; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D012307:Risk Factors; D055948:Sarcopenia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012984:Software