Methodological issues surrounding the use of KDQOL when estimating cost –effectiveness

Addressing the methodological issues associated with using the Kidney Disease Quality of Life (KDQOL) tool in a trial of nocturnal dialysis to estimate effectiveness and cost effectiveness

What we are doing

  1. Conducting a systematic review for studies where the KDQOL has been used to measure quality of life amongst dialysis patients. Assessing the best methods of dealing with patients who receive a transplant or die during the trial in the primary analysis.
  2. Statistical mapping between the KDQOL and EQ-5D so that the KDQOL can be used in economic evaluation 

Why we are doing it

KDQOL scores highly in psychometric properties such as validity and reliability, therefore an ideal PROM to use when measuring quality of life amongst kidney disease patients. It is unclear how patients who receive a transplant or die are dealt with in the primary analysis of studies conducted before. Therefore a systematic review will be conducted to assess usual practice in nephrology trials.

Use of the KDQOL in economic evaluation requires it to be mapped to a preference-based measure. Therefore a mapping algorithm will be developed between the KDQOL and EQ-5D, to allow for the calculation of health state utility values. 

What the benefits will be and to whom?

KDQOL can be used in economic evaluation which better captures health related quality of life amongst kidney disease patients. 

Who we are working with

Professor Laura Gray

Professor Nicola Cooper

Professor James Burton

Contact

Hannah Worboys, Biostats Research Group, Department of Health Sciences, College of Life Sciences, University of Leicester, hw315@leicester.ac.uk

Photo by Robina Weermeijer on Unsplash