A Call for Evidence-based Decision Making When Selecting Outcome Measurement Instruments for Summary of Findings Tables in Systematic Reviews: Results from an OMERACT Working Group

Dorcas E Beaton; Caroline B Terwee; Jasvinder A Singh; Gillian A Hawker; Donald L Patrick; Laurie B Burke; Karine Toupin-April; Peter S Tugwell

doi:10.3899/jrheum.141446

A Call for Evidence-based Decision Making When Selecting Outcome Measurement Instruments for Summary of Findings Tables in Systematic Reviews: Results from an OMERACT Working Group

J Rheumatol. 2015 Oct;42(10):1954-1961. doi: 10.3899/jrheum.141446. Epub 2015 Sep 15.

Authors

Dorcas E Beaton^{1

2}, Caroline B Terwee^{3

4}, Jasvinder A Singh^{3

4}, Gillian A Hawker^{3

4}, Donald L Patrick^{3

4}, Laurie B Burke^{3

4}, Karine Toupin-April^{3

4}, Peter S Tugwell^{3

4}

Affiliations

¹ From the Musculoskeletal Health and Outcomes Research, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St Michael's Hospital, Toronto; Institute for Work & Health; University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; VU University Medical Centre, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Birmingham Veterans Affairs Medical Center and University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA; Women's College Hospital, Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences and University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Seattle Quality of Life Group\Center for Disability Policy and Research, University of Washington, Seattle, WA; Office of New Drugs, Centre for Drug Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, USA; Department of Epidemiology and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa; Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute; Clinical Epidemiology Program, University of Ottawa; Department of Epidemiology and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Population Health, Ottawa, Canada. beatond@smh.ca.
² D.E. Beaton, BScOT, PhD, Senior Scientist Institute for Work & Health, Scientist St. Michael's Hospital; Associate Professor, University of Toronto; C.B. Terwee, PhD, Senior Epidemiologist, VU University Medical Centre, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research; J.A. Singh, MBBS, MPH, Associate Professor of Medicine, Birmingham Veterans Affairs Medical Center and University of Alabama at Birmingham; G.A. Hawker, MD, MSc, FRCPC, Women's College Hospital, Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences and University of Toronto; D.L. Patrick, PhD, Seattle Quality of Life Group\Center for Disability Policy and Research, University of Washington; L.B. Burke, RPh, MPH, Study Endpoints and Label Development, Office of New Drugs, Centre for Drug Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration; K. Toupin-April, BScOT, PhD, Associate Scientist, Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa; P.S. Tugwell, MD, MSc, University of Ottawa, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Clinical Epidemiology Program, University of Ottawa, Department of Epidemiology and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Population Health. beatond@smh.ca.
³ From the Musculoskeletal Health and Outcomes Research, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St Michael's Hospital, Toronto; Institute for Work & Health; University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; VU University Medical Centre, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Birmingham Veterans Affairs Medical Center and University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA; Women's College Hospital, Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences and University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Seattle Quality of Life Group\Center for Disability Policy and Research, University of Washington, Seattle, WA; Office of New Drugs, Centre for Drug Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, USA; Department of Epidemiology and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa; Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute; Clinical Epidemiology Program, University of Ottawa; Department of Epidemiology and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Population Health, Ottawa, Canada.
⁴ D.E. Beaton, BScOT, PhD, Senior Scientist Institute for Work & Health, Scientist St. Michael's Hospital; Associate Professor, University of Toronto; C.B. Terwee, PhD, Senior Epidemiologist, VU University Medical Centre, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research; J.A. Singh, MBBS, MPH, Associate Professor of Medicine, Birmingham Veterans Affairs Medical Center and University of Alabama at Birmingham; G.A. Hawker, MD, MSc, FRCPC, Women's College Hospital, Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences and University of Toronto; D.L. Patrick, PhD, Seattle Quality of Life Group\Center for Disability Policy and Research, University of Washington; L.B. Burke, RPh, MPH, Study Endpoints and Label Development, Office of New Drugs, Centre for Drug Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration; K. Toupin-April, BScOT, PhD, Associate Scientist, Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa; P.S. Tugwell, MD, MSc, University of Ottawa, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Clinical Epidemiology Program, University of Ottawa, Department of Epidemiology and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Population Health.

PMID: 26373567
DOI: 10.3899/jrheum.141446

Abstract

Objective: Systematic reviews often struggle with how to combine information when more than 1 instrument is used across studies being synthesized. Different techniques have been suggested based on frequency of use in the literature, or on consensus. We explore an approach blending 2 initiatives: OMERACT (Outcome Measurement in Rheumatology) and COSMIN (Consensus On Selection of Measurement Instruments), and investigate the effects of an evidence-based measurement approach on selection of outcomes.

Methods: Readings were circulated to attendees registered for a preconference workshop on pain measurement. Three instruments were considered and exercises conducted to engage people in the content and measurement performance of these tools. Consensus was sought that an evidence-based approach could be created for selection of instruments for summary of findings (SoF) tables.

Results: The blending of COSMIN and OMERACT approaches led to an evidence-based approach that depended both on a clear definition of target concept and a review of measurement performance of the instrument. Participants emphasized that conceptual clarity and practical considerations should come before measurement property results.

Conclusion: Evidence-based approaches can be adopted for selection of instruments for SoF tables. A research agenda was formulated.

Keywords: EVIDENCE BASED; HEALTH STATUS INDICATORS; OUTCOME MEASUREMENT; REPRODUCIBILITY OF RESULTS; SYSTEMATIC REVIEWS.