Abstract: TH-PO802
Identifying the Critical Dimensions of Fatigue for a Core Outcome Measure for Trials in Haemodialysis: An International Survey
Session Information
- Dialysis: Epidemiology, Outcomes, Clinical Trials - Non-Cardiovascular - I
November 02, 2017 | Location: Hall H, Morial Convention Center
Abstract Time: 10:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Category: Dialysis
- 607 Dialysis: Epidemiology, Outcomes, Clinical Trials - Non-Cardiovascular
Authors
- Ju, Angela, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Unruh, Mark L., University of New Mexico, Los Ranchos, New Mexico, United States
- Craig, Jonathan C., University of Sydney/Children's Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Tong, Allison, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Background
Measures of fatigue used for research in patients on haemodialysis have differing dimensions, length, and scales. The extent to which of the dimensions of fatigue are valued by patients and health professionals are unknown.
Methods
An online survey was conducted among patients/caregivers and health professionals in English and Spanish. The survey consisted of 11 content dimensions of fatigue such as ‘life participation’ and ‘muscle weakness’, and 4 modes of assessment such as ‘severity’ and ‘frequency’, identified in existing measures. A 9-point Likert scale was used to assess absolute importance and relative importance obtained from a best-worst scale (BWS) task. Multivariate regression analysis was used to examine the Likert scores and mixed-multinominal regression for the BWS scores.
Results
In total, 342 (60%) health professionals and 227 (40%) patients/caregivers from 60 countries participated in the two surveys. Among all participants, the top rated dimension was ‘life participation’ (impact of fatigue on life participation) with a mean Likert score of 7.55 (95%CI: 7.42-7.68) for the English survey and 5.50 (95% CI: 4.90-6.10) for the Spanish survey. Severity was more important than frequency, duration or change in fatigue in both the English (7.20: 7.06-7.34) and Spanish survey (5.13: 4.52-5.74). English-speaking patients placed highest relative importance on ‘life participation’ (BWS score 9.0:7.8-10.4), compared with Spanish-speaking patients for whom ‘post-dialysis fatigue’ was most important (9.0:7.0-11.0).
Conclusion
Impact of fatigue on life participation was identified as a critical dimension of fatigue, and severity the most important metric. Differences in relative importance of fatigue dimensions suggest cultural differences in priorities. The core outcome measure for fatigue should include severity of impact upon life participation with consideration of cultural validity.
Funding
- Government Support - Non-U.S.