Responsiveness of the EQ-5D-3L in elective shoulder surgery: Does it adequately represent patient experience?

Generic patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) allow comparison of health-related quality of life across populations and pathologies. For these comparisons to be valid, the PROM must be responsive; the score must change when the patient's quality of life changes. This study aims to assess the responsiveness of the EQ-5D-three level (3L) in elective shoulder surgery.

Pre- and post-operative EQ-5D-3L and Oxford Shoulder Scores (OSS) were prospectively collected across a range of 204 elective shoulder surgeries. Internal responsiveness was assessed through significance testing of mean change scores and standardized response means (SRMs). External responsiveness of the EQ-5D-3L was assessed against the minimal clinically important difference in OSS, using receiver operating characteristic curve and change score correlation.

Both EQ-5D-3L and OSS scores improved significantly over time ( p < 0.05). The SRM for the EQ-5D was 1.27 (95% CI 1.14-1.41) and for OSS 2.36 (2.22-2.52). Area under the curve for EQ-5D was 0.49. Only a weak correlation was found between EQ-5D and OSS change scores ( r = 0.21).

The EQ-5D-3L is adequately internally responsive to change following elective shoulder surgery but is unable to differentiate patients demonstrating minimal clinically important change. The EQ-5D therefore only partially reflects patient experience.