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Validation of the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy Fatigue Scale Relative to Other Instrumentation in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis
DAVID CELLA, SUSAN YOUNT, MARK SORENSEN, ELLIOT CHARTASH, NISHAN SENGUPTA, and JAMES GROBER
ABSTRACT.
Methods. The FACIT Fatigue was tested along with measures previously validated in RA: the Multidimensional Assessment of Fatigue (MAF) and Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form 36 (SF-36) Vitality. The sample included 636 patients with RA enrolled in a 24 week double blind, randomized clinical trial (RCT) of adalimumab versus placebo. Results. The FACIT Fatigue showed good internal consistency (alpha = 0.86 to 0.87), strong association with SF-36 Vitality (r = 0.73 to 0.84) and MAF (r = –0.84 to –0.88), and the ability to differentiate patients according to clinical change using the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) response criteria (ACR 20/50/70). Psychometric performance of the FACIT Fatigue scale was comparable to that of the other 2 fatigue measures. A minimally important difference in FACIT Fatigue change score of 3–4 points was confirmed in a separate sample of 271 patients with RA enrolled in a second double blind RCT of adalimumab versus placebo. Conclusion. The FACIT Fatigue is a brief, valid measure for monitoring this important symptom and its effects on patients with RA. (J Rheumatol 2005;32:811-9) Key Indexing Terms:
RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS
From the Center on Outcomes, Research and Education, and Division of Rheumatology, Evanston Northwestern Healthcare and Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois; University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; and Abbott Laboratories, Parsippany, New Jersey, USA. Supported by a grant from Abbott Laboratories. D. Cella, PhD; S. Yount, PhD, Center on Outcomes, Research and Education, Evanston Northwestern Healthcare and Northwestern University; M. Sorensen, PhD, University of North Carolina; E. Chartash, MD, Abbott Laboratories; N. Sengupta, PhD, formerly of Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Park, IL; J. Grober, MD, Division of Rheumatology, Evanston Northwestern Healthcare and Northwestern University. Address reprint requests to D. Cella, The Center on Outcomes, Research and Education (CORE), Evanston Northwestern Healthcare, 1001 University Place, Suite 100, Evanston, IL 60201. E-mail: d-cella@northwestern.edu Accepted for publication December 17, 2004. |