Cultural adaption and multicenter validation of the German version of the LYMPH-Q Upper Extremity Module.

OBJECTIVE

Upper extremity lymphedema is a burdensome disease with significant effects on quality of life, underscoring the importance of quality of life measures for this patient population. Only recently, the LYMPH-Q Upper Extremity Module, a new patient-reported outcome measure, was developed. The aim of the present study was to translate the LYMPH-Q Upper Extremity Module from English to German and perform a comprehensive validation.

METHODS

Translation was performed in accordance with the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research best practice guidelines. To validate the German LYMPH-Q, a multicenter study was conducted. Internal consistency was determined using Cronbach's α. Reliability was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient. To analyze construct validity, the Pearson correlation coefficient between the LYMPH-Q, quickDASH (disabilities of the arm, shoulder, and hand), and short-form 36-item health survey was calculated. Responsiveness was assessed by comparing the pre- and postoperative LYMPH-Q scores in five patients who had undergone lymphatic reconstructive surgery.

RESULTS

Validation was performed using a cohort of 65 patients. The internal consistency of the different domains was good to excellent (α, 0.87-0.97). The intraclass correlation coefficient ranged from 0.74 to 0.92. The domains of the LYMPH-Q correlated significantly with the corresponding domains of the short-form 36-item health survey and quickDASH. Construct validity was good, with 8 of 10 hypotheses confirmed. Significant improvements in function (46.4 ± 13.3 vs 77.8 ± 11.5; P = .03), symptoms (42.0 ± 10.7 vs 70.6 ± 11.6; P = .02), and psychological well-being (40.4 ± 14.6 vs 78.0 ± 17.3; P = .03) were observed after lymphatic reconstructive surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

The German version of the LYMPH-Q Upper Extremity Module was shown to be conceptually equivalent to the original English version. It was shown to be a reliable and valid patient-reported outcome measure to assess the physical and psychological impairments in patients with upper extremity lymphedema.