Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 13, 2026

Non-invasive Assessments of Subjective and Objective Recovery Characteristics Following an Exhaustive Jump Protocol
Published on: June 8, 2017
Measurement of quality of recovery using the QoR-40: a quantitative systematic review
B F Gornall1, P S Myles, C L Smith
1Academic Board of Anaesthesia and Perioperative Medicine, Monash University, Victoria, Australia.
Background:
Several rating scales have been developed to measure quality of recovery after surgery and anaesthesia, but the most extensively used is the QoR-40, a 40-item questionnaire that provides a global score and subscores across five dimensions: patient support, comfort, emotions, physical independence, and pain. It has been evaluated in a variety of settings, but its overall psychometric properties (validity, reliability, ease of use, and interpretation) and clinical utility are uncertain.
Methods:
We undertook a quantitative systematic review of studies evaluating psychometric properties of the QoR-40. Data were combined in meta-analyses using random effects models. This resulted in a total sample of 3459 patients from 17 studies originating in nine countries.
Results:
We confirmed content, construct, and convergent [pooled r=0.58, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.51-0.65] validity. Reliability was confirmed by excellent intraclass correlation (pooled α=0.91, 95% CI: 0.88-0.93), test-retest reliability (pooled r=0.90, 95% CI: 0.86-0.92), and inter-rater reliability (intraclass correlation=0.86). The clinical utility of the QoR-40 instrument was supported by high patient recruitment into evaluation studies (97%), and an excellent completion and return rate (97%). The mean time to complete the QoR-40 was 5.1 (95% CI: 4.4-5.7) min.
Conclusions:
The QoR-40 is a widely used and extensively validated measure of quality of recovery. The QoR-40 is a suitable measure of postoperative quality of recovery in a range of clinical and research situations.
Related Concept Videos
Cochran's Q Test
Detection of Gross Error: The Q Test
Quantitative Aspects of Drug-Receptor Interaction
Types of Biopharmaceutical Studies: Controlled and Non-Controlled Approaches
Non-controlled studies, commonly employed for initial exploration, lack a control group, rendering them susceptible to biases and external influences. In contrast, controlled...