title: Validation of the Children's International Mucositis Evaluation Scale (ChIMES) in paediatric cancer and SCT.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Objectives were to describe the reliability and validity of a new paediatric-specific mucositis scale, the Children's International Mucositis Evaluation Scale (ChIMES).
  
  
  METHODS
  In a multi-centre prospective study, children aged 0 to ≤18 years were eligible if they were receiving any of the following: myeloablative stem cell transplantation (SCT), ≥60 mg m(-2) course(-1) doxorubicin or ≥12 g m(-2) methotrexate. Multiple measures of mucositis were included along with ChIMES. Respondents were parent proxy report for children aged <12 years, and child self-report for children aged 12-18 years and 8 to <12 years. Mucositis diaries were completed at baseline and on Days 7-17 following chemotherapy/conditioning. On Day 14, the respondent reported presence of mucositis and change since the previous day.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 185 respondents included parents (N=98), children aged 12-18 years (N=66) and children aged 8 to <12 years (N=21). Test-retest reliability was excellent for ChIMES Total Score and ChIMES Percentage Score with r>0.8 for all respondent types. Criteria for construct validation were met across all measures. ChIMES also demonstrated responsiveness with significant differences between baseline and Day 14.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ChIMES is a paediatric-specific measure of mucositis with favourable psychometric properties. It exhibits reliability, construct validity and responsiveness. ChIMES should be incorporated into clinical trials of mucositis prevention and treatment in paediatric cancer and SCT.
authors.affiliation: Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Children's National Medical Center, 111 Michigan Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20111, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jacobs
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Baggott
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Agarwal
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hesser
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schechter
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Judd
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tomlinson
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Beyene
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sung
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009061:Mouth Mucosa; D052016:Mucositis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D019653:Myeloablative Agonists / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D013280:Stomatitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D019172:Transplantation Conditioning / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D019653:Myeloablative Agonists