[External validity of pain-linked functional interference: are we measuring what we want to measure?].
BACKGROUND
Measurement of functional interference (FI) of pain is crucial for postoperative pain management. This study examined the external validity of three FI items (respiration, mobilization and sleep) within the framework of the German quality improvement in postoperative pain management (QUIPS) project.


METHODS
A total of 380 patients undergoing trauma/orthopedic or abdominal surgery were asked to complete the QUIPS outcome questionnaire. Criteria to determine external validity of FI assessment were tolerance to a continuous passive motion (CPM) machine for FI with mobilization, the pre-postoperative difference of peak flow for FI with respiration and sleep quality measured with actigraphy for FI with sleep.


RESULTS
The QUIPS outcome questionnaire achieved satisfactory reliability (r(tt) =0 .783-0.954, internal consistency 0.597-0.941). The three FI items under examination achieved a significant correlation (r =0 .407-0.469) with the external criteria.
Klinik für Anästhesiologie und Intensivtherapie, Universitätsklinikum Jena, Erlanger Allee 101, 07747, Jena, Deutschland. judith.rothaug@med.uni-jena.de
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Rothaug
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Weiss
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Meissner
D000005:Abdomen / Q000601:surgery; D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000145:classification / Q000523:psychology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001317:Austria; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015915:Motion Therapy, Continuous Passive / Q000523:psychology*; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures; D059408:Pain Management / Q000379:methods; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D058996:Quality Improvement; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000601:surgery; D055815:Young Adult