[The art of reading an article on quality of life research. New check list available to facilitate a critical evaluation].

During the past decade health-related quality of life has been applied in clinical trials in many chronic diseases to such an extent that it is now feasible as outcome in systematic reviews. A recent report on treatment of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease showed how an evidence based review could be completed with health-related quality of life as one of the primary outcome measures. Thus, patient-reported outcome of treatment efficacy is nowadays adequately standardised for scientific reviews according to the conventional criteria of evidence based medicine. In addition, specific criteria are needed with reference to conceptual and measurement models, psychometric standard of instruments and interpretability of results. Current experience is presented in a check list to facilitate reading and evaluation of articles in quality of life research.