title: Quality of life after pulmonary embolism: first cross-cultural evaluation of the pulmonary embolism quality-of-life (PEmb-QoL) questionnaire in a Norwegian cohort.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the current study was to translate and test the psychometrical properties of the disease-specific pulmonary embolism quality-of-life questionnaire (PEmb-QoL).
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with a prior history of pulmonary embolism (PE) were identified from the thrombosis registry at Østfold Hospital Trust, Fredrikstad, Norway. All eligible patients were asked to complete the generic EuroQol 5-dimension (EQ-5D) QoL questionnaire as well as the disease-specific PEmb-QoL at baseline and after 2 weeks. Construct validity was tested using principal component factor analysis. Criterion validity was tested using Spearman's correlation coefficients (rho) between EQ-5D and PEmb-QoL. Internal consistency reliability was calculated using Cronbach's alpha coefficient, while test-retest reliability was calculated using the intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC).
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 213 participants had complete datasets and were included in further analyses. Factor analysis with varimax rotation yielded six factors explaining 71% of the cumulative variance. Cronbach's alpha coefficient was found to be 0.94, indicating a very good intercorrelation of items. Of the 213 participants, 145 (68%) completed the questionnaire a second time. The ICC ranged from 0.75 to 0.86, indicating good test-retest reliability. All factors were found significant with p values <0.001. The criterion validity of the PEmb-QoL was confirmed through good correlation with other similar health-related quality-of-life constructs in the EQ-5D.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings of the current study indicate that Norwegian version of the PEmb-QoL is both valid and reliable, thus representing an important supplement in subjective outcomes measurement among patients sustaining PE.
authors.affiliation: Østfold Hospital Trust, Fredrikstad, Norway, mazdak.tavoly@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Mazdak
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tavoly
authors.forename: Lars-Petter
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Jelsness-Jørgensen
authors.forename: Hilde Skuterud
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Wik
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Roaldsnes
authors.forename: Per Morten
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Sandset
authors.forename: Waleed
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ghanima
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway; D011594:Psychometrics; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D011788:Quality of Life; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards