Validation and minimum important difference of the chronic respiratory disease questionnaire in patients with...

The Chronic Respiratory Disease Questionnaire (CRQ) was developed to measure health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), with a minimum clinically important difference (MCID) of 0.5 points per item. It has been used in clinical trials of patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD), however its validity and MCID in this population is unknown.

Is the CRQ a valid measure of HRQoL in people with ILD and what is the MCID in this population?

Data from a multicentre randomised controlled trial of pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) in 142 patients with ILD were analysed. Concurrent validity with the St George's Respiratory Questionnaire for IPF (SGRQ-I), known groups validity between patients of varying TLCO and GAP Index, and responsiveness to change after PR were assessed. MCID was calculated using anchor- and distribution-based methods. Analyses were repeated for the idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) subgroup.

There was a strong association between CRQ and SGRQ-I scores (r = -0.786, p < 0.05). CRQ scores differed significantly between patients in the highest and lowest TLCO quartile (effect sizes -0.49 to -0.64) and between GAP Index groups (p < 0.05), except for the emotional function domain. The CRQ was responsive to PR (effect size -0.53). The MCID ranged from 0.45 to 0.65 points per item. Results were similar in the IPF subgroup.

The CRQ is a valid and responsive measure of HRQoL in patients with ILD, including those with IPF, with an MCID of around 0.5 points per item. These findings support the use of the CRQ in ILD.