title: Comparison of two questionnaires to assess gastrointestinal toxicity in dogs and cats treated with chemotherapy*.
abstract: Questionnaires completed by pet owners are widely used instruments to monitor adverse gastrointestinal (GI) effects in the owners' animals undergoing chemotherapy and for reporting toxicoses in clinical trials; however, no questionnaires have been formally evaluated. This study compares two questionnaire-based evaluations of adverse GI events: a basic, open-ended questionnaire and a detailed questionnaire modelled after the grading in the Veterinary Co-operative Oncology Group-Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (VCOG-CTCAE). Owners completed both questionnaires after their dog or cat received moderately emetogenic chemotherapy. Results were used to derive toxicity grades for anorexia, vomiting and diarrhoea. We evaluated 123 pairs of questionnaires. Disagreement in grade of anorexia, vomiting and diarrhoea was found in 24, 7 and 13% of paired questionnaires, respectively (κ = 0.63, 0.83 and 0.71, respectively). Although 'good' to 'very good' agreement was found, the potential for only 'fair' agreement between questionnaire methods is of concern and suggests a need to adopt a standardized form.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY, USA.
authors.forename: E K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Malone
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Rassnick
authors.forename: D B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Bailey
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Kiselow
authors.forename: H N
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Erb
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000855:Anorexia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000662:veterinary; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D002415:Cats; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000662:veterinary; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D004285:Dogs; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000662:veterinary*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014730:Veterinary Medicine / Q000379:methods*; D014839:Vomiting / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000662:veterinary