Validity of PROMIS physical function measured in diverse clinical samples

Area of Science:

• Health Outcomes Research
• Clinical Measurement Validation
• Chronic Disease Management

Background:

• Assessing physical function is crucial in managing chronic health conditions.
• Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) provide valuable insights into patient experiences.
• The Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) offers standardized measures for various health domains.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the validity of PROMIS Physical Function measures.
• To assess the sensitivity of PROMIS Physical Function to change over time.
• To determine if PROMIS Physical Function can differentiate between clinical populations.

Main Methods:

• Longitudinal data from 1,415 individuals across six chronic conditions (RA, MDD, back pain, COPD, CHF, cancer) were analyzed.
• Participants completed PROMIS Physical Function computerized adaptive tests or short forms at baseline and follow-up.
• Linear mixed-effects models and standardized response means were used to analyze changes in physical function.

Main Results:

• PROMIS Physical Function scores significantly improved for patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) and back pain.
• No significant improvements in PROMIS Physical Function were observed for patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
• Changes in PROMIS Physical Function scores generally corresponded with patient-reported changes in physical function and general health.

Conclusions:

• PROMIS Physical Function measures demonstrate sensitivity to change in intervention studies.
• These measures effectively distinguish between different clinical samples.
• The findings support the use of PROMIS Physical Function for estimating meaningful change and facilitating comparative effectiveness research.