HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS REGISTER		Author Keyword(s) Vol Page [Advanced]

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Web-only Appendices Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this link to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Add article to my folders Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by El Moussaoui, R Articles by Prins, J M Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by El Moussaoui, R Articles by Prins, J M

Development and validation of a short questionnaire in community acquired pneumonia

¹ Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Tropical Medicine, and AIDS, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
² Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Dr R El Moussaoui
Academic Medical Center, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Tropical Medicine and AIDS, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands; r.elmoussaoui{at}amc.uva.nl

Background: A short but sensitive questionnaire evaluating changes in respiratory symptoms and well being during the treatment of community acquired pneumonia (CAP) is needed. We have developed a measurement and evaluated its psychometric properties in 67 patients admitted with CAP.

Methods: The patients were asked to indicate the presence and severity of dyspnoea, coughing, coughing up sputum, coughing up sputum with ease, the colour of the sputum, fatigue, fitness, and their state of health. The item fatigue showed substantial overlap with fitness and was therefore excluded. The response of the patients to the remaining eight items was used to calculate a CAP score.

Results: The percentage of missing data (0.2–1.7%), floor and ceiling effects (0.2/5.5%), internal consistency (Cronbach = 0.87), and the intraclass correlation coefficient for test-retest reproducibility (0.83) met predefined criteria, indicating good acceptability and reliability. Face and clinical validity were satisfactory. Effect sizes under treatment were large, indicating high responsiveness.

Conclusion: The newly developed CAP score is a simple, reliable, valid, and highly responsive instrument. This makes it scientifically sound and clinically relevant for measuring outcome when evaluating treatment strategies in CAP.

Abbreviations: CRP, C-reactive protein; ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate

Keywords: community acquired pneumonia; questionnaire; outcome assessment; resolution of symptoms

This article has been cited by other articles:

				B. C. Opmeer, R. el Moussaoui, P. M. M. Bossuyt, P. Speelman, J. M. Prins, and C. A. J. M. de Borgie Costs associated with shorter duration of antibiotic therapy in hospitalized patients with mild-to-moderate severe community-acquired pneumonia J. Antimicrob. Chemother., November 1, 2007; 60(5): 1131 - 1136. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. el Moussaoui, B. C. Opmeer, C. A.J.M. de Borgie, P. Nieuwkerk, P. M.M. Bossuyt, P. Speelman, and J. M. Prins Long-term Symptom Recovery and Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients With Mild-to-Moderate-Severe Community-Acquired Pneumonia. Chest, October 1, 2006; 130(4): 1165 - 1172. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. el Moussaoui, C. A J M de Borgie, P. van den Broek, W. N Hustinx, P. Bresser, G. E L van den Berk, J.-W. Poley, B. van den Berg, F. H Krouwels, M. J M Bonten, et al. Effectiveness of discontinuing antibiotic treatment after three days versus eight days in mild to moderate-severe community acquired pneumonia: randomised, double blind study. BMJ, June 10, 2006; 332(7554): 1355 - 1355. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]