title: Validation of a questionnaire for orthostatic hypotension for routine clinical use.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To validate a new patient-reported outcome measure for routine clinical use.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 50 older individuals with orthostatic hypotension who attended a falls and syncope clinic completed three questionnaires, the recently developed Orthostatic Hypotension Questionnaire, the existing Orthostatic Grading Scale and the quality of life measure EQ-5D-5L. Validity of the Orthostatic Hypotension Questionnaire was tested against the aforementioned questionnaires for symptoms and for quality of life. Comorbidity was quantified using the Charlson Comorbidity Index.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The cohort of 50 individuals had a median age of 67 years (interquartile range 26-89 years) with a median Charlson Comorbidity Index of 3 (interquartile range 2-5). The total Orthostatic Hypotension Questionnaire Symptom Assessment score correlated strongly with the Orthostatic Grading Scale (0.616, P < 0.001) and the Orthostatic Hypotension Questionnaire Daily Activity Scale correlated strongly with daily activity on the EQ-5D-5L (0.61, P < 0.001). Using the Orthostatic Grading Scale, individuals' symptoms were categorized as mild, moderate or severe, the Orthostatic Hypotension Questionnaire scores were significantly different between these groups (P < 0.001). Internal consistency was high (Cronbach's apha 0.882), and ceiling or floor effects did not limit the total scores.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Orthostatic Hypotension Questionnaire is a valid patient report tool to quantify the symptom burden of people with orthostatic hypotension. Because the symptoms associated with orthostatic hypotension are frequently non-specific, it will be a clinically useful tool to measure and quantify symptom load in people with orthostatic hypotension. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2016; 16: 785-790.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cellular Medicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.|Falls and Syncope Service, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals, NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Frith
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cellular Medicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.|Falls and Syncope Service, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals, NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
authors.forename: Julia L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Newton
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007024:Hypotension, Orthostatic / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D063868:Patient Outcome Assessment; D011788:Quality of Life; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: orthostatic hypotension; quality of life; self-report