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Validation of the EQ-5D in Patients with Traumatic Limb Injury

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Abstract

Purpose The measurement properties of the EQ-5D have not been explored for patients with traumatic limb injuries. The purpose of this study was to examine the construct validity, predictive validity, and responsiveness of the EQ-5D in patients with traumatic limb injuries. Methods A consecutive cohort of 1,167 patients was assessed with the EQ-5D and the World Health Organization Quality of Life instrument (WHOQOL-BREF) at baseline while the patients were hospitalized because of the injury, and the patients were followed up at 3 months (1,003 patients), 6 months (1,010 patients), and 12 months (987 patients) after injury via telephone interview. Results The utility and visual analogue scale (VAS) scores of the EQ-5D had moderate to high association with the physical and psychological domains and the two general questions (overall QOL and overall health) of the WHOQOL-BREF at all time points except baseline (Pearson’s correlation coefficient >0.3), but the EQ-5D profiles were weakly associated with the social and environment domains of the WHOQOL-BREF (absolute value of Spearman’s correlation coefficient <0.3). These results indicate that the EQ-5D has satisfactory construct validity. The utility and VAS scores of the EQ-5D at 3 and 6 months after injury can predict (with moderate to large relationships) the four domains and two general questions of the WHOQOL-BREF administered at 12 months after injury. The responsiveness of the utility and VAS of the EQ-5D were high (effect sizes >0.9) at 0–3, 0–6, and 0–12 months after injury. Conclusions The EQ-5D has sufficient construct validity, predictive validity, and responsiveness, and also provides evidence for using the utility of the EQ-5D for cost-utility analyses of patients with traumatic limb injuries in the future.

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Acknowledgments

The study was supported by research grants from the National Science Council (NSC-99-2314-B-650-001-MY2, NSC-101-2314-B-038-055, and NSC 102-2314-B-006-029-MY2).

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All authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Correspondence to Wen-Hsuan Hou.

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Ching-Lin Hsieh and Mei-Chuan Hung have contributed equally to this article.

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Hung, MC., Lu, WS., Chen, SS. et al. Validation of the EQ-5D in Patients with Traumatic Limb Injury. J Occup Rehabil 25, 387–393 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10926-014-9547-0

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