Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31444579›Full record

ArticleJournal of patient-reported outcomes2019

Identifying symptom recurrences in primary brain tumor patients using the MDASI-BT and qualitative interviews.

Alvina A Acquaye, Samuel S Payén, Elizabeth Vera, Loretta A Williams, Mark R Gilbert, Shiao-Pei Weathers, Terri S Armstrong

Open access · goldAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of patient-reported outcomes, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
0.3field-weighted citation impact, top 38% 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

7 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 14 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Understanding data visualization techniques in qualitative studies used to develop and validate patient-reported outcome measures: a targeted literature review.Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation · 2025
    Review
  6. Review
  7. Article
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

7 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Alvina A AcquayeNeuro-Oncology Branch, National Institutes of Health, 9030 Old Georgetown Rd, Room 231, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA. alvina.acquaye@nih.gov.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9673-1312
Samuel S PayénDepartment of Family Health Houston, The University of Texas Health Science Center of Nursing Research, Houston, TX, USA.
Elizabeth VeraNeuro-Oncology Branch, National Institutes of Health, 9030 Old Georgetown Rd, Room 231, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
Loretta A WilliamsDepartment of Symptom Research, Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Mark R GilbertNeuro-Oncology Branch, National Institutes of Health, 9030 Old Georgetown Rd, Room 231, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
Shiao-Pei WeathersDepartment of Neuro-Oncology, Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Terri S ArmstrongNeuro-Oncology Branch, National Institutes of Health, 9030 Old Georgetown Rd, Room 231, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
National Institutes of Health · USThe University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center · USThe University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundIdentifying symptoms experienced throughout the disease trajectory is pivotal to understanding management of patient symptoms. Patient interviews to solicit input from those who have experienced these symptoms is one method to capture this perspective to validate symptoms included in patient reported outcomes (PRO) measures.

methodsA thematic approach was used to identify themes within qualitative interviews. The MD Anderson Symptom Inventory- Brain Tumor (MDASI-BT) was completed by glioma patients. Descriptive statistics was used for analysis of the MDASI-BT.

resultsThematic saturation was reached with 23 participants, with a median age of 53 (23-62), on treatment (57%) and diagnosed with a glioblastoma (48%). Patients endorsed 20 out of the 22 MDASI-BT symptoms (symptoms not reported: dry mouth, shortness of breath) during the interviews and with completion of the instrument (seizures and vomiting were not endorsed). Fatigue (55%), seizures (50%), and pain (50%) were common symptoms described by the sample. During treatment, more symptoms were identified with fatigue, hair loss, and nausea more problematic. Aside from itching and swelling (endorsed by 2 patients each), all other symptoms not included in the MDASI-BT instrument were endorsed by only one patient.

conclusionsCompletion of the MDASI-BT, found patients reported on average 6.8 symptoms with 14% of reported symptoms (mean = 3) rated as moderate to severe. The findings demonstrate how applicable the MDASI-BT is in capturing significant symptoms experienced and how important it is to utilize throughout ones' care to manage symptoms effectively.

Indexed as

Brain tumorsMDASI-BTPatient outcomesQualitative researchQuality of lifeSymptom management

Identifiers

PMID31444579
PMCPMC6708028
OpenAlexW2969557739

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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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.