Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39806627›Full record

SynthesisBMJ open2024

Patient-reported outcome measures for post-COVID-19 condition: a systematic review of instruments and measurement properties.

Ann-Kristin Baalmann, Christine Blome, Nina Stoletzki, Theresa Donhauser, Christian Apfelbacher, Katharina Piontek

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in BMJ open, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
9citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

9 citing papers in PubMed.

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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

6 authors.

Ann-Kristin BaalmannInstitute of Social Medicine and Health Systems Research, Faculty of Medicine, Otto von Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany.
Christine BlomeInstitute for Health Services Research in Dermatology and Nursing (IVDP), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1163-1639
Nina StoletzkiInstitute for Health Services Research in Dermatology and Nursing (IVDP), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany.
Theresa DonhauserInstitute of Social Medicine and Health Systems Research, Faculty of Medicine, Otto von Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany.
Christian ApfelbacherInstitute of Social Medicine and Health Systems Research, Faculty of Medicine, Otto von Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany christian.apfelbacher@med.ovgu.de.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3805-8219
Katharina PiontekInstitute of Social Medicine and Health Systems Research, Faculty of Medicine, Otto von Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesPost-COVID-19 condition (PCC), also referred to as Long COVID, has become an emerging public health issue requiring adequate prevention, treatment and management strategies. Evaluating these strategies from the patients' perspective using patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) is critical. In this systematic review, we aimed to critically appraise and summarise the quality of existing PROMs for PCC, and to identify PROMs that can be recommended for use in future research.

designSystematic review using the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) methodology. DATA SOURCES: PubMed and Web of Science were searched on 16 January 2023 and again on 23 July 2024. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: We included studies reporting on the development and/or validation of any disease-specific PROMs for PCC. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: Two independent reviewers screened the results for eligibility. The methodological quality of each included study was assessed using the COSMIN Risk of Bias Checklist. We further evaluated the quality of measurement properties per PROM and study according to the criteria for good measurement properties as outlined in the COSMIN manual, and graded the evidence of the synthesised results. Based on the overall evidence, we derived recommendations for the use of the identified instruments.

resultsWe identified 23 studies reporting on 11 PROMs measuring functional status (COVID-19 Yorkshire Rehabilitation Scale, C19-YRS; Modified COVID-19 Yorkshire Rehabilitation Scale, C19-YRSm; Functional Impairment Checklist, FIC; Post-COVID-19 Functional Status Scale, PCFS), symptom burden and impact (Long COVID Symptom and Severity Score, LC-SSS; Long COVID Symptom Tool, LCST; Long COVID Impact Tool, LCIT; Symptom Burden Questionnaire Long COVID, SBQ-LC), quality of life (Post-acute COVID-19 Quality of Life instrument, PAC-19QoL) and stigma (Long COVID Stigma Scale, LCSS; Post-COVID-19 Condition Stigma Questionnaire, PCCSQ). Sample sizes of the included studies ranged from 29 to 1969 participants. Overall, 95 single studies on measurement properties were evaluated. Among the identified instruments, the Long Covid Stigma Scale (LCSS) showed sufficient content validity and internal consistency and can be recommended for use according to COSMIN criteria. Our assessment of measurement properties revealed significant evidence gaps for all PROMs, indicating the need for further validation studies to make an adequate decision on the recommendation for their use. Content validity is a major shortcoming of all included instruments.

conclusionThe LCSS measuring stigma can be recommended for use in future research. For the assessment of PCC symptoms and impact, no instrument with sufficient measurement properties is currently available. Further validation of all identified PROMs is indicated, in particular comprehensive assessments of content validity involving experts and patients. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42023391238.

Indexed as

COVID-19Patient Reported Outcome MeasuresHumansQuality of LifeSARS-CoV-2COVID-19Primary Health CarePublic health

Identifiers

PMID39806627
PMCPMC11667390

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
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.