Evidence map›Paper›PMID 26294320›Full record

ArticleSupportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer2016

Validating self-report and proxy reports of the Dexamethasone Symptom Questionnaire -Chronic for the evaluation of longer-term corticosteroid toxicity.

Meera Agar, Eng-Siew Koh, Emma Gibbs, Elizabeth H Barnes, Elizabeth Hovey, Ann Livingstone, Kate Sawkins, Richard Chye, Melanie R Lovell, Katherine Clark and 3 more

Open access · greenAbstract readValidation Study
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
0.7field-weighted citation impact, top 27% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 12 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Trial
  2. Article
  3. Sleep disturbance in people with brain tumours and caregivers: a survey of healthcare professionals' views and current practice.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2021
    Article
  4. Review
  5. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.

Meera AgarDiscipline of Palliative and Supportive Services, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia. meera.agar@sswahs.nsw.gov.au.
Eng-Siew KohDiscipline of Palliative and Supportive Services, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia.
Emma GibbsNational Health and Medical Research Council Clinical Trials Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
Elizabeth H BarnesNational Health and Medical Research Council Clinical Trials Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
Elizabeth HoveySouth West Sydney Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Ann LivingstoneNational Health and Medical Research Council Clinical Trials Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
Kate SawkinsNational Health and Medical Research Council Clinical Trials Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
Richard ChyeSacred Heart Supportive and Palliative Care, St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, Australia.
Melanie R LovellSydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
Katherine ClarkDepartment of Palliative Care, Calvary Mater Hospital, Newcastle, Australia.
Janette VardySydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
Madeleine KingPsycho-oncology Co-operative Research Group (PoCoG), School of Psychology, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
Cooperative Trials Group for Neuro-Oncology (COGNO)
The University of Sydney · AUFlinders University · AUGreenwich Hospital · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeIn brain tumours, brain metastases or advanced cancer; treatment with corticosteroids, side effects can add to symptoms. These are best assessed by patients, complementing clinical assessment. We assessed the feasibility and validity of the Dexamethasone Symptom Questionnaire-Chronic (DSQ-Chronic), patient and caregiver versions.

methodsA longitudinal cohort study was conducted, collecting clinician-rated toxicity, performance status, dexamethasone dose and DSQ-Chronic (patient and caregiver versions) at baseline, then 2, 4 and 8 weeks later. Patients had a primary malignant brain tumour, brain metastases, or advanced cancer; Karnofsky Performance Status ≥40 and predicted survival ≥8 weeks. Analysis included questionnaire completion rates, frequency and severity of dexamethasone-attributable side effects, agreement between patient and caregiver ratings, comparison with clinician-rated toxicity and correlation with performance status.

resultsSixty-six patients were recruited (mean age 60 years), with their caregivers. Completion of questionnaires was over 90% for the dyad at baseline but dropped over time, with caregiver completion rates higher at all timepoints. Agreement between patients and proxies was fair to moderate, and while proxies systematically overestimated symptom severity on DSQ-chronic total scores, the bias was less than 10 points. Patient and clinician agreement was higher for more objective symptoms.

conclusionThe DSQ-Chronic is feasible when the patient is relatively well. As capacity to complete the DSQ-Chronic diminishes, caregivers can be proxy-raters. Clinicians capture corticosteroid toxicities, which may not be obvious to the patient. The DSQ-Chronic, patient and caregiver versions, are useful tools to be used with clinician assessment.

Indexed as

CaregiversSelf ReportSurveys and QuestionnairesAdultAgedAged, 80 and overBiasBrain NeoplasmsCohort StudiesDexamethasoneFemaleGliomaGlucocorticoidsHumansIntracranial HypertensionKarnofsky Performance StatusDexamethasoneGlucocorticoidsAdverse effectsBrain tumourCancerCaregiversCorticosteroidsKarnofsky performance statusQuestionnairesSelf-report

Identifiers

PMID26294320
OpenAlexW1169338286

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.