Premium
A longitudinal study of the SF ‐36 version 2 in Friedreich ataxia
Author(s) -
Tai G.,
Corben L. A.,
Yiu E. M.,
Delatycki M. B.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
acta neurologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.967
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1600-0404
pISSN - 0001-6314
DOI - 10.1111/ane.12693
Subject(s) - ataxia , sf 36 , quality of life (healthcare) , rating scale , cohort , medicine , psychology , health related quality of life , psychiatry , disease , developmental psychology , nursing
Objectives The Medical Outcomes Study 36 item Short‐Form Health Survey ( SF ‐36) is one of the most commonly used patient reported outcome measure. This study aimed to examine the relationship between SF ‐36 version 2 ( SF ‐36V2) summary scores and Friedreich ataxia ( FRDA ) clinical characteristics, and to investigate the responsiveness of the scale, in comparison with the Friedreich Ataxia Rating Scale ( FARS ), over 1, 2 and 3 years. Materials and Methods Descriptive statistics were used to examine the characteristics of the cohort at baseline and years 1, 2 and 3. Correlations between FRDA clinical characteristics and SF ‐36V2 summary scores were reported. Responsiveness was measured using paired t tests. Results We found significant correlations between the physical component summary ( PCS ) of the SF ‐36V2 and various FRDA clinical parameters but none for the mental component summary. No significant changes in the SF ‐36V2 were seen over 1 or 2 years; however, PCS scores at Year 3 were significantly lower than at baseline (−3.3, SD [7.6], P =.01). FARS scores were found to be significantly greater at Years 1, 2 and 3 when compared to baseline. Conclusions Our findings suggest that despite physical decline, individuals with FRDA have relatively stable mental well‐being. This study demonstrates that the SF ‐36V2 is unlikely to be a useful tool for identifying clinical change in FRDA therapeutic trials.