Comparing measurement properties of EQ-5D-Y-3L and EQ-5D-Y-5L in paediatric patients

• Published in: Health and quality of life outcomes 2021-11, Vol.19 (1), p.1-256, Article 256
• Main Authors: Fitriana, Titi Sahidah, Purba, Fredrick Dermawan, Rahmatika, Rina, Muhaimin, Riski, Sari, Nur Melani, Bonsel, Gouke, Stolk, Elly, Busschbach, Jan J. V
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia; Blood; Blood diseases; Cancer; Children; Children & youth; Chronically ill children; Comparative analysis; Convergence; Data collection; Electric power distribution; EQ-5D-Y-3L paediatric patients; EQ-5D-Y-5L; Families & family life; Feasibility; Health aspects; Health surveys; Health-related quality of life; Hemophilia; Leukemia; Pain; Patients; Pediatric research; Pediatrics; Psychometrics; Quality of life; Quantitative psychology; Questionnaires; Reliability; Social aspects; Surveys; Thalassemia
• ISSN: 1477-7525; 1477-7525
• DOI: 10.1186/s12955-021-01889-4

The adult versions EQ-5D-3L and EQ-5D-5L have been extensive compared. This is not the case for the EQ-5D youth versions. The study aim was to compare the measurement properties and responsiveness of EQ-5D-Y-3L and EQ-5D-Y-5L in paediatric patients. A sample of patients 8-16 years old with different diseases and a wide range of disease severity was asked to complete EQ-5D-Y-3L, EQ-5D-Y-5L, PedsQL Generic Core Scale, and selected, appropriate disease-specific instruments, three times. EQ-5D-Y-3L and EQ-5D-Y-5L were compared in terms of: feasibility, (re-)distribution properties, discriminatory power, convergent validity, test-retest reliability, and responsiveness. 286 participating patients suffered from one of the following diseases: major beta-thalassemia, haemophilia, acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, acute illness. Missing responses were comparable between versions of the EQ-5D-Y, suggesting comparable feasibility. The number of patients in the best health state (level profile 11111) was equal in both EQ-5D-Y versions. The projection of EQ-5D-Y-3L scores onto EQ-5D-Y-5L for all dimensions showed that the two additional levels in EQ-5D-Y-5L slightly improved the accuracy of patients in reporting their problems, especially if severe. Convergent validity with PedsQL and disease-specific measures showed that the two EQ-5D-Y versions performed about equally. Test-retest reliability (EQ-5D-Y-3L 0.78 vs EQ-5D-Y-5L 0.84), and sensitivity for detecting health changes, were both better in EQ-5D-Y-5L. Extending the number of levels did not give clear superiority to EQ-5D-Y-5L over EQ-5D-Y-3L based on the criteria assessed in this study. However, increasing the number of levels benefitted EQ-5D-Y performance in the measurement of moderate to severe problems and especially in longitudinal study designs.