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Validation of the Lithuanian version of sarcopenia-specific quality of life questionnaire (SarQoL®)

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Key summary points

AbstractSection Aim

To translate and culturally adapt the SarQoL® questionnaire into Lithuanian language and investigate its main psychometric properties.

AbstractSection Findings

The total score of the SarQoL® questionnaire was significantly lower for sarcopenic subjects compared to non-sarcopenic subjects. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was 0.95. The SarQoL® questionnaire revealed good construct validity and test–retest reliability.

AbstractSection Message

Lithuanian version of the SarQoL® can be used to assess quality of life in sarcopenic population.

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this study was to translate and culturally adapt the SarQoL® questionnaire into Lithuanian and investigate its main psychometric properties.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was performed on community-dwelling Lithuanian people aged ≥ 60 years. The revised criteria of the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People were used. A forward–backward methodology was used for the translation, with a pre-test of the final version of the Lithuanian SarQoL® questionnaire. Adjusted logistic regression analysis was used to compare sarcopenic and non-sarcopenic subjects. Internal consistency was determined using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. The correlation of total score of the SarQoL® and each domain of the Short-form General Health Survey (SF-36) and EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D) questionnaires was measured using Spearman’s correlations. Test–retest reliability was measured by the intraclass correlation coefficient.

Results

The study was performed on 176 subjects. Fifty-eight subjects were diagnosed with sarcopenia. After adjustment for confounders, the total score of the SarQoL® questionnaire was significantly lower for sarcopenic subjects compared to non-sarcopenic subjects (50.32 ± 8.58 vs 73.75 ± 13.51, p < 0.001). Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was 0.95. Neither floor nor ceiling effects were found. The SarQoL® questionnaire revealed good correlation with similar domains of the SF-36 and EQ-5D questionnaires for convergent validity and weak correlations with different domains for divergent validity, confirming its construct validity. An excellent agreement between test and retest was found with an ICC of 0.976 (95% CI 0.959–0.986).

Conclusions

Lithuanian version of the SarQoL® is valid, reliable and consistent and could be used to assess quality of life in sarcopenic population.

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Acknowledgements

The authors express their gratitude to Dr. Elvyra Stapcinskiene, Edita Merkeliuniene and Audrone Misiunaite for their assistance in the data collection.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania

    Vidmantas Alekna, Justina Kilaite, Marija Tamulaitiene & Asta Mastaviciute

  2. Department of Public Health, Epidemiology and Health Economics, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium

    Anton Geerinck, Olivier Bruyère, Jean-Yves Reginster & Charlotte Beaudart

Authors
  1. Vidmantas Alekna
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  2. Justina Kilaite
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  3. Marija Tamulaitiene
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  4. Anton Geerinck
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  5. Asta Mastaviciute
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  6. Olivier Bruyère
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  7. Jean-Yves Reginster
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  8. Charlotte Beaudart
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Contributions

CB, OB, JYR, VA and MT were involved in the design of the study. JK and AM managed the study and performed statistical analysis. JK, AM, and MT drafted the manuscript. VA, MT, AG, CB, OB, and JYR made critical revision of the manuscript. All the authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Vidmantas Alekna.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Ethics statement and informed consent

Study protocol has been approved by Lithuanian regional biomedical research ethics committee. All subjects gave their written informed consent prior to enrolment.

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Alekna, V., Kilaite, J., Tamulaitiene, M. et al. Validation of the Lithuanian version of sarcopenia-specific quality of life questionnaire (SarQoL®). Eur Geriatr Med 10, 761–767 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41999-019-00208-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41999-019-00208-x

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