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Linking QuickDASH and PROMIS Upper-Extremity Computer-Adaptive Test Scores in Hand Surgery: A Crosswalk Study
Amy M Cizik1, Chong Zhang2, Angela P Presson2
1Department of Orthopaedics, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT.
This study links the Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (qDASH) measure with the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Upper Extremity Physical Function Computer-Adaptive Test (PROMIS UE CAT) versions 1.2 and 2.0. The developed crosswalk tables enhance comparability of patient-reported outcomes in hand surgery research.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedic surgery
- Rehabilitation medicine
- Health outcomes research
Background:
- Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) like the Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (qDASH) and the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Upper Extremity Physical Function Computer-Adaptive Test (PROMIS UE CAT) are widely used in hand and upper-extremity surgery.
- Standardization and comparability of PROMs across different studies and institutions are crucial for advancing clinical research and practice.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish crosswalk tables linking the qDASH measure to both versions (v1.2 and v2.0) of the PROMIS UE CAT.
- To facilitate the conversion of scores between these commonly used PROMs, thereby improving data comparability.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from 18,944 hand and upper-extremity surgery patients who completed both qDASH and PROMIS UE CAT at the same visit.
- Employed multiple equating models, including equipercentile methods, within the R package 'equate' to perform score linkage.
- Excluded patients with shoulder pathology from the analysis.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated very strong linear relationships between qDASH and both PROMIS UE CAT v1.2 (r = -0.83) and v2.0 (r = -0.80).
- Equipercentile equating models showed very strong positive relationships for linking measures, with intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) of 0.85 for v1.2 and 0.83 for v2.0.
- Established reliable crosswalk tables for converting scores between the qDASH and PROMIS UE CAT.
Conclusions:
- The study successfully developed crosswalk tables between qDASH and PROMIS UE CAT v1.2/v2.0 using equipercentile equating.
- These crosswalk tables enhance the comparability of patient-reported outcomes in hand surgery, enabling better synthesis of research findings across different PROMs.
- The findings support the use of these crosswalks to improve the interpretation and comparison of clinical outcomes in hand and upper-extremity surgery.
