Transculturally adapted Spanish SRI questionnaire for home mechanically ventilated patients was viable, valid, and reliable.

OBJECTIVE: To validate the Spanish Severe Respiratory Insufficiency (SRI) questionnaire, the first health-related quality-of-life questionnaire specific for patients receiving home mechanical ventilation (HMV). STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: This multicenter prospective study enrolled 115 patients (53 males, age 62+/-13 years) receiving HMV, recruited from five hospitals. Patients were scheduled for two visits during which sociodemographic and clinical data were recorded, and both the Spanish SRI and the SF-36 questionnaires were administered. Viability was assessed by recording timing and the response rate in the questionnaire. Reliability was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Cronbach alpha coefficient. Validity was studied by factor analysis, by a correlation test between the SRI and SF-36 questionnaires, and by establishing several simple, plausible, ad hoc hypotheses. RESULTS: The SRI was administered in 10+/-5 minutes with >or=96% responses for most items. Cronbach alpha coefficient was >0.7 for all scales except social relationships. ICCs were above 0.8 for all scales. Criterion validity obtained high correlations with SF-36, especially in psychosocial well-being and physical functioning scales. Factor analysis explained 60% of the variability. All ad hoc hypotheses were fulfilled. CONCLUSION: The Spanish version of the SRI questionnaire has good psychometric properties, similar to those of the original questionnaire.

Factors related to quality of life in patients receiving home mechanical ventilation.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to evaluate factors associated with health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among patients receiving home mechanical ventilation (HMV). METHODS: Observational, cross-sectional study. Patients receiving HMV were recruited from hospital outpatients facilities at five participating centers; a single follow-up visit was scheduled. The Spanish version of the Severe Respiratory Insufficiency (SRI) Questionnaire was used and the following variables were collected: socio-demographic status, previous medical history (Charlson-Age Comorbidity Index), current symptoms, administration of questionnaires, pulmonary function tests (PFT), current ventilatory support, and oxygen therapy. RESULTS: One hundred and fifteen patients (57 males and 58 females, mean age 62+/-13 years) were investigated. The reasons for HMV were as follows: thoracic cage abnormalities (33 patients), obesity hypoventilation syndrome (37 patients), neuromuscular disorders (18 patients), sequelae of tuberculosis (12 patients), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (15 patients). In a bivariate approach, dyspnea, the number of hospitalizations, and the number of emergency room admissions in last year were the main predictors of each HRQOL dimension. Multivariate analysis showed that dyspnea, FEV(1)/FVC, and the number of hospitalizations in the previous year were independently associated with HRQOL. CONCLUSIONS: HRQOL of patients receiving HMV is influenced by many factors, especially by dyspnea and the number of admissions. An obstructive pattern in the PFT also influences HRQOL. These findings may have therapeutic implications.