Agreement between patient- and physician-completed Pediatric Ulcerative Colitis Activity Index scores

J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2011 Jun;52(6):708-13. doi: 10.1097/MPG.0b013e3182099018.

Abstract

Objectives: Currently validated ulcerative colitis (UC) activity measures are physician based, but incorporate patient reports of symptoms. We aimed to assess whether patient-completed Pediatric UC Activity Index (PUCAI) scores are comparable to those of physician scores.

Patients and methods: We performed a single-center prospective study to assess agreement between patient- and physician-completed PUCAI scores. Seventy patients with UC (ages 4-29) representative of all of the disease activity categories (inactive, mild, moderate, and severe) in the currently published physician-completed scoring system were recruited. Agreement was analyzed for PUCAI scores both as continuous and categorical measures. To ascertain validity, we compared both patient- and physician-completed PUCAI scores with the physician global assessment and serum inflammatory markers.

Results: Patient- and physician-completed PUCAI summary scores were identical 49% of the time, were different but within the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) of 20 points 48% of the time, and were at or beyond the MCID only 3% of the time. In general, patients reported higher mean disease severity on their questionnaires than did their physicians, with a mean difference in PUCAI scores of 3 ± 8 (95% confidence interval 2%-5%). A categorical comparison of the 2 sets of questionnaires using the disease activity groups demonstrated perfect agreement for 60 (86%) pairs (kappa coefficient 0.78; 95% confidence interval 0.65%-0.90%). Both patient- and physician-completed PUCAI scores also correlated well with the physician global assessment and serum inflammatory markers.

Conclusions: Our data indicate strong agreement between PUCAI scores obtained directly from patients and those completed by physicians. Hence, a patient-based PUCAI could complement existing instruments in both clinical and research settings.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Validation Study

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Colitis, Ulcerative / diagnosis*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Physicians
  • Prospective Studies
  • Self Report*
  • Severity of Illness Index*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Young Adult

Supplementary concepts

  • Pediatric ulcerative colitis